OLD  PEWTER 


BRASS,  COPPER,  AND  SHEFFIELD  PLATE 


BY 


N.  HUDSON  MOORE 


AUTHOR   OF 

"THE  OLD  CHINA  BOOK,"  "THE  OLD  FURNITURE  BOOK," 
"THE  LACE  BOOK,"  ETC. 

With  One  Hundred  and  Five  Illustrations 


NEW  YORK 

FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 
PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1905, 
BY  FREDERICK  A.  STOKES  COMPANY 


Published  in  November,  1905 


PREFACE 

OLD  pewter  is  becoming  daily  of  greater  interest  to  the 
householder,  since  the  fancy  for  using  this  attractive  ware 
in  country  houses  has  become  so  widespread.  Old  plates, 
platters  and  chargers  that  have  not  seen  the  light  for 
scores  of  years,  or  that  have  been  subjected  to  indignities, 
such  as  covering  the  flour  barrel  or  catching  rain-water 
leaking  into  the  garret,  are  now  brought  forth  and  treated 
with  pride  and  consideration. 

"  Hollow- ware  " — jugs,  mugs,  tankards,  and  the  like — 
is  even  more  in  demand,  and  if  not  wanted  as  ornaments 
for  the  shelves  in  the  dining-room,  may  be  used  on  the 
table,  in  appropriate  proximity  to  "  Old  Blue  China  "  and 
ancient  mahogany,  which  also  have  been  hauled  forth 
from  undeserved  obscurity. 

Much  of  the  pewter  is  marked ;  but  in  some  cases  the 
"  touches,"  as  these  marks  were  called,  have  become  al- 
most undecipherable  from  use.  Some  of  it  was  made  in 
this  country  and  bears  the  names  of  American  makers, 
though  much  was  imported  and  sold  here  that  had  no 
mark  at  all.  To  facilitate  the  classification  of  this  ware, 
a  list  of  Continental,  English,  Scotch  and  such  American 
names  as  could  be  found,  has  been  added  to  the  book; 
so  that  in  many  cases  if  even  part  of  the  name  remains, 
the  piece  can  be  identified. 

The  details  of  manufacture,  the  style  of  decoration,  the 
correct  weight  of  the  different  pieces  of  ware  are  all 


891077 


vi  PREFACE 

given.  More  than  a  hundred  pieces  of  old  ware  are  illus- 
trated, most  of  them  here  reproduced  for  the  first  time. 

Many  famous  collections  have  been  drawn  upon  for 
this  purpose,  and  the  author  has  been  able  to  secure  some 
pieces  in  use  both  at  home  at  Mount  Vernon  and  in  the 
field  during  Washington's  lifetime. 

Only  one  piece  of  modern  pewter  is  shown ;  a  ewer  and 
basin  by  M.  Jules  Brateau,  the  well-known  French 
sculptor,  who  is  often  confused  by  writers  on  this  subject 
with  Francois  Briot,  who  preceded  him  by  some  hundred 
years. 

The  household  articles  in  copper  and  brass  in  use  at 
about  the  same  period  as  the  pewter  are  also  treated,  and 
as  in  the  case  of  the  latter,  splendid  collections  have  fur- 
nished the  objects  used  as  illustrations.  Attention  is 
given  to  the  fancy  for  the  antique  Russian  articles  of 
these  metals,  many  of  which  are  brought  into  the  country 
by  peasants  coming  to  our  shores.  These  are  shown,  and 
the  would-be  collector  is  warned  of  the  spurious  articles 
made  by  the  dozen  in  the  dark  cellars  and  back  rooms  of 
the  East  Side,  in  New  York. 

Sheffield  Plate,  a  name  that  has  been  applied  indis- 
criminately to  all  old  plated  ware,  is  also  considered ;  its 
manufacture  is  explained ;  the  manner  of  identifying  it  is 
pointed  out ;  and  the  names  of  some  of  the  best  known 
makers  are  given.  Like  the  other  subjects  treated  in 
this  book,  Sheffield  Plate  is  finely  illustrated,, 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Frontispiece  (By  Courtesy  of  the  Eastman  Kodak  Co.} 

PART  I. — FOREIGN  PEWTER 

Facing  Page 

Fig.     i  Chinese  pewter          .  ...          4 

"        2  Chinese  pewter  vase  .....  6 

3  Chinese  pewter  .....  8 

"        4  Japanese  pewter  and  Chinese  pewter  jug     .  .  8 

5  Japanese  pewter.     Engraved  decoration       .  .         10 

"        6  Modern  French  pewter  by  Jules  Brateau     .  .         10 

7  French  antique  punched  work    .     .  .  .12 

8  German  cavalry  cup  .  .  .  .14 
"        9  German  tankard         .             .             .             .  .16 

10  German  soup  tureen  .  .  .  .  .16 

"  ii  German  tankards  and  jug  .  .  .  .  18 

12  German  pewter.  Engraved  and  wriggled  work  .  18 

— * 13  Flemish  pewter,  marked  "Ghent"  .  .  .20 

14  Eighteenth-century  Benitier.     Flemish         .  .         22 
"      15  Swiss  plate     ......        24 

"  16  Kaiserteller.  Ferdinand  III.  .  .  .26 

17  Group  of  Austrian  pewter     .             .             .  .26 

PART   II. — ENGLISH   AND  AMERICAN    PEWTER 

Fig.    18  Kitchen  at  Mount  Vernon     .             .  .  -34 

19  Pewter  group             .             .             .  .  .60 

20  English  pewter           .             .             .  .  .64 

21  Various  types  of  bowls.     English     .  .  .68 

22  Chargers,  bowls,  ladle,  and  taster  .  .  .70 

23  Collection  of  pewter  in  Concord,   Mass.     .  .         70 

24  Three    candlesticks    with    bell-shaped  bases.  (By 

courtesy  of  The  Connoisseur)      .  .  .72 


x  ILLUSTRATIONS 

Facing  Page 

Fig.  25  Candlesticks  of  various  types.     (The  Connoisseur)        74 
26  Pewter  candlesticks  .  .  .  .76 

"      27  Candle-moulds  .  .  .  .  .76 

"      28  Pewter  lamps  .  .  .  .  .78 

"      29  Oil  lamp         .  .  .  .  ...         78 

"      30  Oil  lamp         ......         80 

31  Pewter  group  .  .  .  .  .80 

32  Three  saltcellars.     (The  Connoisseur)         .  .        82 

33  Pewter  group  .  .  .  .  .84 

34  Pewter  and  Britannia  teapots  .  .  .84 

35  Church  flagon.    Dated  1753.     (The  Connoisseur)   .        86 

36  Communion  cup.     "  Presbyterian."     (The  Connois- 

seur)           ......  88 

37  The  Pirley  pig.     (The  Connoisseur)           .             .  go 

38  "  Tappit  Hens."     (The  Connoisseur)           .             .  102 

39  Pewter  spoons            .....  102 

40  Ewer  and  basin         .  .  .  .  .106 

41  American   pewter   pitcher     ....  108 

42  American  pewter.     Reed  &   Barton.     Early  nine- 

teenth century         .  .  .  .  .no 

43  American   pewter.     Reed  &  Barton.     Early  nine- 

teenth century         .  .  .  .  .112 

44  General  Washington's  strong-box,  mess-chest  and 

bellows         .  .  .  .  .  .114 

PART  III.— BRASS  WARE 

Fig.  45  English  brass  knocker  .  .  .  .118 

"      46  American  brass  knocker       .  .  ..'  .118 

47  Fireplace    and    fender.      Langdon    House,    Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.  .  .  .  .120 

"      48  Fireplace   and    andirons.     New   England   Colonial 

House          .  .  .  .  .  .120 

"      49  Brass  fire-set.     From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  Latti- 

more  ......       122 

"      50  Old  brass   andirons.     From   the   Collection   of  A. 

Killgan,  Esq.  .  .  .  .  .122 

"      51  Brass  and  copper  brazier.     From  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  George  Brodhead        ....       124 

"      52  Spanish  brasero  and  bowls.    From  the  Collection  of 

Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry       ....       124 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xi 

Facing  Page 

Fig.  53  Kitchen  of  the  Whipple  House  at  Ipswich,  Mass.  .  126 
"  54  Brass  candlesticks  (Russian)  .  .  .  126 

"  55  Brass  candlesticks  (Russian)  .  .  .  126 

"  56  Brass  candlesticks  (Russian).  From  the  Collection 

of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry  .  .  .  128 

"  57  Brass  utensils.  From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  Wilford 

R.  Lawshe  .....  128 

"  58  Brass  cooking  utensils  and  candlesticks.  Deerfield 

Memorial  Hall       .....       130 

59  Brass  candlestick  and  lamps.   From  the  Collections 

of  Mr.  George  Brodhead  and  Airs.  E.  Wetmore      130 

60  Pair  of  brass  lamps.     From  the  Collection  of  Mr. 

William  M.  Hoyt    .  .  .  .  .132 

61  Tall    brass    lamp.      From    the    Collection    of   Mr. 

William  M.  Hoyt  .....       132 

62  Girandoles.     From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  William 

M.  Hoyt     .             .  134 

63  Handles  and  escutcheons.  Chippendale's  designs   .  136 

64  Handles  and  .escutcheons.  From  1750  to  1800        .  138 

65  Pipkins   and   fenders.     Chippendale's   designs         .  140 
"      66  George  Washington's  hall  lantern.  In  the  National 

Museum,    Washington       ....       142 

"      67  Brass  chandelier  in  St.  Michael's  Church,  Charles- 
ton, S.  C.     .  .  .  .  .  .142 

68  Brass  kettles  and  pitcher.    From  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  George  Brodhead       ....       144 

"      69  Milk-can  and  cooking-utensils.     Mechanics'  Insti- 
tute,  Rochester       .....       144 

"      70  Brass  kettles.    From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  William 

M.  Hoyt     .  .  .  .  .  .146 

"      71  Sugar-bowl  and  pitcher.     From  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  George  Brodhead       ....       146 
72  Russian  samovar        .....       148 

"      73  Urn     .......       150 

74  Russian   samovar.     From   the   Collection   of  Mrs. 

Charles  P.  Barry    .  .  .  .  .152 

"      75  Russian  brazier          .....       152 


xii  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PART  IV. — COPPER  UTENSILS 

Facing  Page 
Fig.  76  Kitchen  at  Van  Cortlandt  Manor     .  .  .       158 

77  Copper  thurible.    In  the  Chicago  Museum  of  Fine 

Arts  .  .  .  .  .  .158 

78  Copper  warming-pan,  kettles,  etc.  From  the  Collec- 

tion of  Mr.  ll'ilford  R.  Lawshe    .  .  .       160 

79  George   Washington's   warming-pan.     In   the  Na- 

tional Museum,    Washington       .  .  .       160 

80  Copper  utensils.     In  Deerfield  Memorial  Hall       .       160 

8 1  Paul  Revere's  copper  chafing-dish.    In  the  Rooms 

of  the  Ant'ujiiiirian  Society,  Concord,  Mass.  .  160 
"  82  Copper  kettle  and  furnace.  In  the  Rooms  of  the 

Antiquarian  Society,  Concord,  Mass.  .  .  162 

"  83  Copper  utensils.  From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  Ralph 

Burn  ham      ......       162 

"  84  Copper  pot.  From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  William 

M.  Hoyt      ......       162 

"  85  Copper  kettles  (Russian).  From  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  Dudley  .....  162 

"  86  Copper  utensils  (Russian).  From  the  Collection  of 

Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry  ....  164 
"  87  Copper  utensils  (Russian).  From  the  Collection  of 

Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry  ....  164 
"  88  Copper  coffee-pots  and  kettle  (Russian).  From  the 

Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry  .  .  164 

"  89  Copper  coffee-pot  and  bowls  (Russian).  From  the 

Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry  .  .  164 

"  90  Coffee-urn.  From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  David 

Hoyt 166 

"  91  Longfellow's  fireplace  at  Bowdoin  College  .  .  168 


PART  V. — SHEFFIELD- PLATE 

Fig.  92  Sheffield-plate  trays  and  tureens.    From  the  Collec- 
tion of  Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England     .       176 
"      93  Sheffield-plate  castors  and  dishes.  From  the  Collec- 
tion of  Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England     .       176 
94  Urns,  wine-coolers,  and  trays.  From  the  Collection 

of  Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England  .  .       180 


ILLUSTRATIONS  xiii 

Facing  Page 
Fig.  95  Trays  and  wine-cooler.    From  the  Collection  of  Mr. 

H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England  .  .  .       184 

"      96  Table  articles  and  candlesticks.     From  the  Collec- 
tion of  Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England     .       184 

"      97  Tea  and  coffee-pots.     From  the  Collection  of  Mr. 

H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England  .  .  .188 

"      98  Candlesticks  and  covers.     From  the  Collection  of 

Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England      .  .       188 

"      99  Table  utensils  and  candle-cups.     From  the  Collec- 
tion of  Mr.  H.  Coopland ,  Sheffield ,  England      .       190 

"     100  Cake-baskets   and   trays.     From    the  Collection  of 

Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England     .  .       190 

"     101  Candlesticks.    From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  H.  Coop- 
land,  Sheffield,  England    ....       192 

"     102  Teapots  ......       192 

103  Coffee-urn       ......       194 

104  Venison-dish.    From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  David 

Hoyt  .       194 


CONTENTS 

I.  FOREIGN  PEWTER 3 

II.  ENGLISH  AND  AMERICAN  PEWTER     ....  3I 

III.  BRASS  WARE .     .  n7 

IV.  COPPER  UTENSILS          .    • 157 

V.  SHEFFIELD  PLATE 173 

SHEFFIELD  MANUFACTURERS  OF  CLOSE  PLATE          .      .  196 

APPENDIX 

MARKS  AND  NAMES  FOUND  ON  FOREIGN  PEWTER  .      .  2oi 

LIST  OF  ENGLISH  PEWTERERS 202 

SCOTTISH    PEWTERERS 216 

SOME  AMERICAN  PEWTERERS 218 

INDEX 223 


PART  I 

FOREIGN    PEWTER 


OLD  PEWTER,  BRASS,  COPPER, 
AND  SHEFFIELD  PLATE 


PART   I 

FOREIGN    PEWTER 

WHY  is  it  that  old  pewter  has  such  a  charm?  I  ask 
myself  again  and  again  why  I  so  admire  the  few  pieces 
which  I  own,  and  why  there  is  such  a  pleasure  in 
handling  them,  speculating  about  them,  and  in  feel- 
ing their  satiny  grey  sides, — a  feeling  not  given  by 
any  other  metal.  The  very  fact  that  they  are  so  hard 
to  clean  calls  your  attention  to  them  with  a  per- 
sistence that  they  would  not  claim  if  they  were  suscep- 
tible of  taking  polish  quickly,  and  you  rub  and  rub, 
and  then  bend  your  back  and  rub  again,  all  too  thank- 
ful for  the  slow  gleams  of  silver-like  hue  which  reward 
your  efforts,  like  the  smile  on  the  face  of  an  old  friend. 
The  law  of  contraries  seems  operative*  irb  )~fegard 
to  the  treatment  of  pewter;  for  though"  we*  restdre 
our  china,  and  have  our  antiques  in  t^e.f^tratuTe.  \iriej 
carefully  mended,  when  we  come  to  our  pewter  we 
leave  it  pretty  much  alone,  with  its  scratches  and 
batters,  its  broken-down  sides,  and  the  corroded  look 
which  so  much  of  it  wears.  No  true  lover  of  this 
ware  will  allow  his  treasures  to  be  burnished,  for  every 


4  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

time  that  process  is  applied  to  a  piece  it  loses  more 
and  more  the  air  of  age  which  was  one  of  its  most 
pleasing  allurements,  and  you  might  as  well  have  a 
brand-new  piece  of  modern  ware  or  even  of  tin. 

The  use  of  pewter  for  household  utensils  takes  it 
back  to  the  Midd^  Ages.  and  beyond.  Indeed,  one 
cannot  go  far  enough  back  to  find  when  it  was  first 
used  in  Chinn  nnd  Japan  r  —  those  lands  to  which  we 
are  bound  to  turn  for  so  many  of  the  "  beginnings 
of  things,"  and  which  many  of  us  are  pleased  to  call 
barbarous  countries,  because  we  know  no  better.  So, 
before  examining  any  of  the  pewter  made  in  the 
countries  of  the  West,  let  us  turn  to  the  beautiful 
specimens  which  were  made  hundreds  of  years  ago 
by  those  workers  who  excel  in  everything  that  they 
undertake. 

Just  how  old  these  pieces  are  it  is  impossible  to  say, 
yet  it  is  known  that  pewter  ware  was  made  in  China  two 
thousand  years  ago,  the  composition  of  the  alloy  being 
of  lead  and  tin.  There  are  specimens  of  Japanese 
pewter  on  exhibition  in  England  which  are  known  to 
be  eleven  hundred  years  old,  and  they  are  not  unlike 
the  pieces  presented  here,  which  are  on  exhibition  at 
the  t  Boston.  Museum  of  Fine  Arts. 

jijiisp'.  pewter   is   often   of   such   a   curious   tint 


«•«  c.  t.tl\at«4t;seerns  frtjpossible  to  believe  that  it  is  pewter. 

:  '  :  -''Bu-t  a£ler  '  ah'*  article  left  the  hands  of  the  artisan  it 
was  never  polished,  the  only  treatment  allowed  it 
being  a  gentle  rubbing  with  a  cotton  rag.  After  a 
time  the  surface  became  coated  with  a  faint  green  rust 
of  two  tints,  —  the  lighter  forming  the  ground,  and 


Pig.  1.     CHINESE  PEWTER 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Art, 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  5 

the  darker  showing  in  mottled  patches, — which  gave 
it  a  very  artistic  appearance,  but  which  must  have  been 
unpleasant  to  eat  from,  I  should  think. 

In  general  the  vessels  were  not  flat,  but  hollow  ware, 
and  some  of  them  were  modelled  from  the  ever-present 
form  of  the  lotus,  and  some  of  them  bear  the  figure 
of  Buddha  the  Mysterious. 

The  pewter  used  by  the  Japanese  contains  so  much 
lead  that  it  was  susceptible  of  much  working,  and  in 
some  of  the  illustrations  shown,  the  familiar  dragon 
is  on  guard.  A  harder  and  more  brittle  quality  of 
pewter,  containing  a  large  proportion  of  antimony, 
was  also  made  by  them,  and  this  was  admirably 
adapted  for  casting  or  stamping  in  intricate  and 
delicate  forms.  Occasionally  a  piece  is  found  which 
has  been  coated  with  some  other  metal,  but  in  many 
cases  the  coating  is  carelessly  done  and  flakes  off. 

Both  Japanese  and  Chinese  use  engraving  as  a  form 
of  decoration,  and  the  grace  and  simplicity  of  the  pat- 
terns employed  do  credit,  as  usual,  to  their  innate 
iove  of  beauty,  and  present  a  marked  contrast  to  the 
patterns  employed  by  other  nations  working  at  the 
jiame  period.  The  Chinese  added  to  the  decorative 
appearance  of  pewter  by  introducing  both  copper  and 
brass  in  various  patterns,  as  can  be  seen  in  Figures  2 
and  3.  The  grotesque  figure  bearing  a  basket  is 
entirely  of  pewter. 

The  composition  of  pewter  varies,  not  only  in  the 
different  countries  where  it  was  made,  but  also  as 
regarded  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  designed. 
Below  is  given  a  slight  table,  showing  not  only  the 


OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 


ingredients  which  entered  into  the  composition  of  the 
metal,  but  the  proportions  used. 


Tin 

Lead 

Antimony 

Copper 

Hate  Pewter,  best    quality 

ICO 

.    .    . 

8 

4 

Plate  Pewter,  poorest  quality 

89-3 

.    .    . 

7-i 

1.8 

Common  Pewter,    "Trifle" 

82 

.    .    . 

18 

loo 

26 

Pewter,  called  "better"  .    . 

S6 

8 

6 

Pipe  Metal  .    . 

60 

A  y 

Metal  for  Salts  and  Ewers  . 

90 

10 

Metal  for  dishes,  etc.    .    .    . 

96 

4 

Ley  Metal    

So 

20 

Tin,  which  has  always  been  the  metal  entering 
most  largely  into  the  composition  of  pewter,  has  from 
an  early  period  played  an  important  part  in  the  manu- 
facture of  domestic  utensils.  The  Egyptians  used  it 
as  early  as  3700  B.C.,  and  it  is  mentioned  at  least  twice 
in  the  Bible,  and  also  by  Plautus  and  Pliny.  The 
English  pewterers  drew  their  supply  of  tin  chiefly 
from  the  Cornish  mines,  and  the  output  averaged  about 
8,000  tons  per  annum.  Lead,  another  component  part 
of  pewter,  was  also  drawn  from  places  near  the  tin 
mines,  and  England  was  known  as  the  "  classic  land 
of  lead  and  tin."  Herodotus  speaks  of  the  trade  in 
lead  as  the  chief  inducement  which  brought  the 
Phoenicians  to  the  shores  of  Britain,  and  a  writer  on 
the  subject  of  lead  says: 


Fig.  2.       CHINESE  PEWTER  VASE 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  7 

"These  two  metals  [tin  and  lead]  made  the  early  fame  of 
Britain ;  they  brought  here  the  Phoenician  trader,  and  had 
doubtless  much  to  do  with  the  Roman  occupation  of  this 
distant  island." 

The  Romans  used  pewter  for  seals  of  office,  and 
some  years  ago  there  were  many  of  them  to  be  found 
in  the  county  of  Westmoreland,  England,  left  there  by 
the  Roman  legions.  They  were  of  all  shapes,  round, 
oval,  or  rectangular,  and  it  is  a  pity  that,  owing  to 
their  making  excellent  solder,  they  have  been  entirely 
destroyed  by  the  enterprising  tinkers  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood. 

For  use  at  home,  the  Romans  carried  tin  from  Corn- 
wall both  by  ship  and  overland,  and  when  material 
for  the  proper  alloys  failed  them,  they  made  pewter 
of  pure  tin.  The  metals  were  transported  in  the  form 
of  ingots,  and  not  only  did  Rome  get  her  share,  but 
France  too,  received  her  quota,  by  means  of  either 
caravan  or  boat.  Holland  got  hers  through  the  city 
of  Bruges ;  and  Barcelona  sent  out  so  much  to  Venice 
and  other  parts  of  Italy  that  it  was  found  necessary 
to  regulate  the  trade,  and  as  early  as  1406  the  first 
of  these  regulating  statutes  was  framed. 

The  word  "  Pewter  "  has  its  equivalents  in  many 
languages,  pcautrc  dating  from  1229  in  France,  while 
the  Dutch  used  speazvtcr,  or  pcaivter,  and  in  old 
English  inventories  I  find  it  spelled  in  half  a  score  of 
ways,  according  to  the  fancy  and  degree  of  education 
of  the  writer. 

The  French,  ever  more  elegant  and  refined  than  the 
English  in  matters  relating  to  household  furnishing 


8  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS.    ETC. 

and  domestic  utensils,  had  fine  pewter  in  their  homes 
before  it  was  made  in  England.  By  1390  not  only 
the  nobles,  but  the  wealthy  ecclesiastical  dignitaries 
had  large  supplies  of  pewter  plate,  and  in  1401,  Isabeau 
of  Bavaria,  wife  of  Charles  VI  of  France,  bought  for 
her  kitchen  nine  dozen  dishes  and  twenty-three  por- 
ringers. This  queen,  whatever  view  you  may  take 
of  her  morals,  may  at  least  have  the  credit  for  intro- 
ducing many  improvements  into  palaces,  which  had 
hitherto  been  bare  and  cheerless  enough.  Among  the 
existing  records  of  items  of  expenditure  for  herself 
and  her  household  are  charges  for  the  "  making  of  a 
large  box  of  wood  and  iron,  with  holes  in  it,  to  burn 
a  candle  by  night  in  the  room  of  Madame  Jehanne." 
This  was  the  first  approach  to  a  night-lamp,  and  "  Ma- 
dame Jehanne  "  was  one  of  the  younger  princesses. 

Isabeau  at  this  same  time  had  made  for  her  use 
great  baths  of  oak,  and  she  was  the  first  one  to  use  a 
"  suspended  carriage."  Those  vehicles,  which  were 
made  under  her  direction,  were  elegant  and  luxurious 
to  a  degree  never  seen  before,  and  had  four  wheels. 
She  had  heaters  made  in  the  form  of  little  iron 
chariots,  which  were  filled  with  red-hot  ashes  and 
were  wheeled  about  her  rooms  to  warm  them.  She 
also  had  made  balls  of  gold  or  silver,  to  be  filled  with 
ashes  and  held  in  the  hand  for  warmth.  Although 
she  bought  much  pewter  for  her  kitchen,  her  own 
personal  plate  was  gold,  and  as  a  charm  against  poison 
she  used  an  Eastern  talisman  which  was  chained  with 
a  silver-gilt  chain  to  her  goblet  and  saltcellar.  She 
did  not  place  such  entire  reliance  on  this  talisman  as 


Fig.  3.     CHINESE  PEWTER 
Boston  MHHCIIIH  of  Fine  Arts 


Fig.   4.     JAPANESE   PEWTER   AND  CHINESE   PEWTER   JUG 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts 


FOREIGN     PEWTE  R  9 

might  at  first  appear,  since,  despite  its  supposed 
efficacy,  she  had  every  dish  of  which  she  partook 
tasted  by  an  officer  of  her  household  before  it 
approached  her  lips. 

In  1500,  in  Paris,  it  was  stated  that  the  necessary 
number  of  pewter  dishes  for  a  state  dinner  was  six 
dozen  large  porringers,  the  same  number  of  small 
plates,  two  and  a  half  dozen  large  dishes,  eight  quart 
and  twelve  pint  tankards,  and  two  dishes  for  scraps 
for  the  poor. 

The  period  of  the  most  showy  development  of  pew- 
ter began  in  France  about  1550,  and  Frangois  Briot 
was  its  most  celebrated  worker.  Originally  a  maker 
of  dies  and  moulds,  he  became  a  worker  in  metals, 
and  wrought  with  the  greatest  success  in  soft  alloys. 
Examples  of  his  work  are  to  be  seen  in  many  of  the 
museums  of  Europe,  and  his  most  noted  production 
was  a  flagon  and  salver,  with  figures,  emblems,  masks, 
and  strap-work.  These  elegant  pieces  were  cast  in 
sections,  joined  together,  and  then  finished  in  the  most 
careful  manner  in  delicate  relief. 

Jules  Brateau,  a  modern  French  sculptor,  has  used 
pewter  in  somewhat  the  same  manner  as  his  prede- 
cessor, Briot,  and  in  Figure  6  is  shown  an  example 
of  his  work  which  may  be  seen  at  the  Chicago  Museum 
of  Fine  Arts.  Like  the  work  of  Briot,  it  consists  of 
a  salver  and  ewer,  and  the  salver  contains  in  the  centre 
a  large  round  boss  on  which  is  a  winged  globe,  the 
symbol  of  Fame.  About  this  boss  a  line  of  Cupids 
disport  themselves,  bearing  a  ribbon  on  which  are 
inscribed  the  names  of  those  celebrated  in  the  arts  of 


ro          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS.    ETC. 

Music,  Painting,  Sculpture,  and  Architecture.  The 
body  of  the  salver  has  four  panels,  with  figures  repre- 
senting the  above-mentioned  arts,  each  panel  being 
separated  from  those  on  either  hand  by  the  tools  and 
emblems  of  the  various  arts  and  crafts.  The  rim 
is  moulded  with  a  scroll  border,  which  is  lightened 
by  the  introduction  of  flower-buds  at  certain  places 
in  the  design. 

The  ewer  has  for  a  handle  a  nude  female  figure  hold- 
ing a  mirror,  and  the  body  of  the  vessel  is  decorated 
with  seated  female  figures  representing  Science,  Liter- 
ature, and  the  Drama.  The  base  of  the  ewer  is  hardly 
in  keeping  with  the  rest  of  the  composition,  which  on 
the  whole  compares  favourably  with  the  work  of  the 
earlier  master.  M.  Brateau  has  chosen  for  his 
"  touch  "  the  singular  device  of  a  gallows  with  two 
rows  of  figures  hanging  thereon! 

Francois  Briot  was  followed  by  Caspar  Enderlein, 
a  Swiss,  and  by  1600  the  Nuremberg  workers  entered 
the  field  with  richly  worked  plates  and  platters, — 
those  with  religious  subjects  being  used  as  patens, 
while  those  with  secular  designs  were  for  ornament 
on  the  heavily  carved  dressers  of  the  middle  classes, 
in  imitation  of  the  collections  of  gold  and  silver  plate 
which  were  displayed  by  the  wealthy  nobles.  These 
ornate  pieces,  if  of  French  origin,  were  called  by  the 
specious  name  of  "  A  fagon  d'argent,"  and,  like  the 
modern  "  art  novelties "  from  the  same  source, 
brought  good  prices. 

During  the  century  from  1680  to  1780  much  pewter 
was  made  in  France,  though  the  greater  part  of  it 


Fiff.   f>.      JAPANESE  PEWTER.  ENV.RAVED  DECORATION 

of  Fine  Arts 


Fig.  G.     MODERN  FRENCH  PEWTER  BY  JULES  BRATEAU 
Chicago  Museum  of  Arts 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  11 

was  made  in  the  first  three-quarters  of  that  time. 
Louis  XVI  appointed  a  royal  pewterer,  and  he  made 
the  nobles  give  up  to.  him  much  of  their  silver  plate. 
To  make  the  use  of  pewter  more  satisfactory,  he 
granted  special  permission  that  it  might  be  adorned 
with  gold  or  lacquer,  which  privilege  had  hitherto  been 
given  exclusively  to  the  dignitaries  of  the  Church. 
As  in  England,  French  workmen  had  been  gathered 
into  guilds  or  corporations,  but  these  were  abolished 
by  Turgot  on  the  ground  that  the  free  right  to  labour 
was  a  sacred  privilege  of  humanity.  With  the  dis- 
persion of  the  guilds  the  quality  at  least  of  the  pewter 
declined,  and,  though  it  kept  its  place  among  the  mid- 
dle classes,  with  the  wealthy  its  use  was  relegated  to 
the  kitchen.  Then,  too,  after  1750,  the  use  of  pottery 
and  porcelain  gradually  increased,  and  the  beauty  of 
these  wares  made  them  easily  favourites. 

As  a  proof  of  their  skill  the  French  workmen  had 
to  make  a  piece  of  the  ware  of  the  class  to  which  they 
belonged,  before  they  could  be  admitted  to  the  Guild. 
They  were  divided  into  special  classes  as  early  as  the 
fourteenth  century,  and  the  "  potiers  d'ctain "  con- 
sisted of  three  classes :  those  who  made  vases,  "  potiers 
dit  de  rond,"  then  those  who  made  the  hammered 
ware  and  had  to  present  a  dish  or  bowl  as  a  specimen 
of  their  work,  and  were  known  as  "  les  potiers  maitre 
de  forge,"  and  lastly  the  "potiers  menuisiers,"  who 
made  little  things  like  pilgrims'  and  beggars'  badges, 
toys  for  children,  rings  and  buttons,  and  who  had  to 
make  for  their  entrance  piece  an  inkstand  or  a  salt- 
cellar. 


12  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

Many  of  the  rules  which  governed  the  French  pew- 
tereis  were  substantially  the  same  as  those  which  were 
in  force  in  England.  In  fact  the  French  claim  that 
the  English  pewterers  took  their  regulations  as  the 
model  on  which  they  framed  their  own  rules  of  the 
Pewterers'  Company.  In  1613  Louis  XIII  gave  a 
set  of  statutes  to  the  French  pewterers,  at  the  same 
time  that  he  gave  a  set  ro  the  Guild  of  Armourers. 
Before  a  man  was  qualified  to  become  a  master  work- 
man, he  was  obliged  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  of  six 
years,  to  serve  three  years  as  a  journeyman,  and  then 
make  his  admission  piece.  The  sons  of  masters  were 
exempt  from  serving  an  apprenticeship,  provided  that 
they  worked  three  years  with  their  father.  They  did 
not  have  to  make  an  admission  piece  and  they  did 
not  have  to  pay  dues. 

As  in  England,  each  pewterer  had  to  have  his  pri- 
vate mark,  which  was  registered  with  the  King's  Pro- 
curer as  well  as  in  the  guild  room.  Each  master  had 
two  marks,  the  larger  containing  the  first  letter  of  his 
Christian  name  and  the  whole  of  his  surname,  while 
the  smaller  mark  gave  only  the  initials  of  both  names. 
Besides  this,  each  mark  contained  the  device  of 
the  master,  the  choice  of  which  was  left  to  his  own 
fancy. 

Works  in  the  common  metal  were  marked  on  the 
upper  side;  works  of  high  quality,  antimony,  tin, 
or  of  resonant  metal,  were  marked  on  the  lower  side. 
Saltcellars,  small  measures,  and  little  articles  were  to 
have  ten  per  cent  of  lead,  while  small  plates  and 
saucers  were  to  have  but  four  per  cent. 


Fig.   7.     FRENCH    ANTIQUE    PUNCHED    WORK 
Collection  of  Mrs.   Charles  Barry 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  13 

According  to  Boileau  the  regulations  for  the  Paris 
pewterers  were  as  follows : 

"  i.  Whatever  persons  wish  to  be  pewterers  in  Paris  may  be 
so  without  restriction,  if  only  they  do  good  and  lawful  work. 
They  may  have  as  many  workmen  and  apprentices  as  they  may 
wish. 

"2.  No  pewterer  may  work  at  night,  or  upon  a  festival  day. 
Whoever  does  so  will  have  to  pay  a  fine  of  five  sols,  to  the  King. 
The  light  at  night  is  not  enough  for  him  to  do  good  and  lawful 
work. 

"  3.  No  pewterer  may  or  should  by  law  work  at  any  work  of 
his  trade  which  is  not  well  and  lawfully  alloyed  according  to  the 
requirements  of  the  work.  If  he  does  so  he  forfeits  the  work 
and  incurs  a  fine  of  five  sols  to  .the  King. 

"  4.  No  coppersmith  nor  other  person  may  sell  wares  belong- 
ing to  the  pewterers'  trade,  either  in  the  town  or  outside,  nor  in 
his  house,  unless  it  is  of  good  and  legal  alloy.  If  he  does  so  he 
must  forfeit  the  work  and  pay  a  fine  of  five  sols,  to  the  King. 

"  5.  No  one  may  or  ought  to  sell  wares  belonging  to  the  pew- 
terers, or  is  to  sell  old  pewter  as  new.  If  he  does  he  must  pay 
a  fine  of  five  sols,  to  the  King. 

"  6.  The  masters  of  the  pewterers  require  that  two  experienced 
masters  of  the  trade  be  elected  by  order  of  the  Provost  of  Paris. 
The  said  masters  are  to  swear  solemnly  that  the  men  of  the  said 
trade  will  keep  the  above  regulations,  well  and  loyally. 

"  7.  The  pewterers  are  liable  to  serve  on  the  watch  if  they 
are  under  sixty  years  of  age. 

"8.  The  two  experienced  masters,  elected  as  above,  are 
exempt  from  serving  on  the  watch. 

"  9.  The  pewterers  are  to  pay  taxes  and  other  dues,  as  paid 
by  the  other  citizens  of  Paris  to  the  King." 

The  master  pewterers  were  allowed  to  make  all 
kinds  of  work  provided  that  they  used  fine  and  reso- 
nant pewter,  alloyed  with  copper  and  bismuth.  It  was, 
however,  forbidden  that  they  should  use  either  gold 
or  silver  on  their  pewter  ware,  except  such  as  was 
intended  for  use  in  churches.  Patens  and  chalices 


14  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

were  always  to  be  of  the  best  quality,  and  this  was 
a  rule  which  was  carried  out  in  all  countries.  Master 
pewterers  were  not  to  begin  work  with  the  hammer 
before  five  in  the  morning,  nor  to  continue  it  after 
eight  in  the  evening.  Nor  were  they  allowed  to  put 
on  sale  in  their  shops  any  pewter  which  was  not  made 
by  a  Parisian  pewterer  in  Paris.  Widows  were 
allowed  to  continue  the  business  of  their  husbands, 
and  to  keep  open  shop  as  long  as  they  continued 
widows. 

In  1776  the  guilds  of  pewterers,  coppersmiths,  and 
scalemakers  were  all  combined,  and  from  this  time 
on  the  industry  of  pewter-making  slowly  and  steadily 
declined. 

Some  of  the  best  French  pewter  is  marked  "  blanc" 
which  indicates  its  superior  quality;  the  bluer  the 
colour,  the  more  lead  in  its  composition. 

French  pewter  does  not  seem  to  have  been  held  in 
such  high  esteem  as  that  made  in  Germany  or  the 
Netherlands.  In  1709  various  foreign  pewters  were 
tested  at  Pewterers'  Hall  in  London,  French  and 
Spanish  showing  from  14^  to  29  less  than  "  fine," 
while  a  piece  of  English  pewter  taken  at  random  from 
a  shop  was  but  i^  grains  less  than  fine,  or  the 
standard  quality.  No  doubt  the  inferior  quality  was 
because  the  manufacture  wras  very  general  all  over 
France,  and  because  the  corporation  was  not  so 
"  close  "  as  in  England. 

Lyons  was  known  abroad  for  its  excellence  in  pew- 
ter ware  by  1295,  and  Paris  had  Gautier  at  work  as 
early  as  1300,  while  other  less  famous  names  were 


Fig.    8.     GERMAN    CAVALRY    CUP 
Collection  of  Mr.  Browne 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  15 

Robert  (1313);  Guillaume  de  Liloies  (1315;:  Adan 
FEscot;  Huguein  de  Besangon  (1531),  pewterer  to 
the  royal  household;  Micheiet  Breton  (1580),  also 
purveyor  to  the  house  of  the  king;  and  in  1401  we  find 
the  name  of  Jehan  de  Montrousti,  who  furnished  the 
kitchen  ware  for  Isabeau  of  Bavaria,  already  men- 
tioned. 

In  Poitiers,  Limoges,  Tours,  Amiens,  Rouen,  Dijon, 
as  well  as  in  Montpellier,  Angers,  Bordeaux,  Tou- 
louse, and  in  many  other  cities,  there  were  pewterers 
at  work  early  in  the  fourteenth  century.  In  the  orna- 
mentation of  pewter  the  French  excelled  in  engraved 
work,  though  they  had  a  fancy  for  figures  in  high 
relief,  which  were  either  cast  solid,  or  punched  out 
from  the  back  and  then  filled  jn  with  lead.  The  plates 
shown  in  Figure  7  have  the  edge  moulded  on  after- 
ward by  hand,  and  they  are  further  ornamented  by 
engraving.  One  has  a  coat  of  arms,  while  the  other 
is  merely  decorative.  Such  pieces  were  of  course 
never  used  on  the  table,  but  were  for  ornament  only 
on  the  wall  or  dresser. 

Badges  or  tokens  of  pewter  were  favourite  relics 
of  pilgrims,  to  show  that  they  had  actually  made  a 
pilgrimage.  The  shape  of  a  cockle-shell  in  memory 
of  St.  Michel  was  the  usual  device,  and  pilgrims  wore 
these  in  their  hats  by  the  twelfth  century.  In  the 
Cluny  Museum  at  Paris  is  an  old  mould  for  casting 
such  badges,  and  this  one  is  in  the  shape  of  a  heart, 
with  a  cross  and  the  letters  I.H.S.  In  no  country  did 
the  custom  of  wearing  these  tokens  prevail  to  a  greater 
extent  than  in  France;  indeed  some  authorities  con- 


i6  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

tend  that  it  originated  there.  St.  Denis  was  the 
favourite  saint  in  the  north,  while  in  the  south  St. 
Nicholas  prevailed.  There  were,  besides,  many  local 
saints,  of  which  little  images  were  cast,  and  these  were 
worn  on  hat  or  coat. 

Mont  St.  Michel  was  the  chief  place  for  the  dis- 
tribution of  these  badges,  and  it  is  said  that  the  cockle- 
shells found  on  the  beach  there  served  for  the  first 
models.  A  thriving  business  was  done  in  these  badges, 
and  by  the  fourteenth  century  it  was  brought  to  the 
notice  of  the  king,  who  thereupon  imposed  a  tax  on 
these  articles.  This  called  forth  so  loud  a  protest  from 
the  pewterers  that  the  king,  Charles  VI  ("the  Well- 
Beloved''),  exempted  these  badges  from  all  tax  for 
ever.  Such  badges,  brought  home  from  a  pilgrimage, 
had  an  honoured  place  in  the  house,  and  were  pointed 
to  with  reverence  and  pride  by  their  owners. 

Little  vessels  for  containing  holy-water  or  the  oil 
of  extreme  unction  were  also  made  of  pewter,  and 
sometimes  made  long  journeys  to  the  Holy  Land  on 
the  persons  of  the  devout,  who  brought  home  in  them 
various  kinds  of  sacred  relics,  a  little  dust  from 
Calvary,  or,  if  the  pilgrimage  had  been  made  to 
Rome,  some  earth  from  the  Catacombs.  These  little 
bottles  or  relic-holders  had  wide  mouths,  and  were 
closed  by  pressing  their  lips  hard  together.  They  were 
then  hung  on  a  string  and  suspended  from  the  neck. 

An  interesting  relic  found  during  the  last  century 
was  enclosed  in  a  box  made  of  a  material  which  was 
called  lead,  but  which  was  actually  composed  of  lead 
mixed  with  some  harder  metal  which  gave  it  more 


Fig.   0.      (JKRMAN   TANKARD 
Collection  of  Mrs.  Gcoryc  BrocUiead 


Fig.  10.     GERMAN  SOUP  TUREEN 
Cooper  Union  Museum,  New  York 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  17 

body  and  durability.  In  the  fine  cathedral  of  Rouen, 
France,  Is  a  suite  of  four  rooms  containing  what  is 
known  as  the  ff  Tresor"  This  collection  of  very  valu- 
able and  interesting  relics  forms  quite  a  little  museum, 
and  may  be  seen  upon  the  payment  of  a  small  fee.  To 
an  Anglo-Saxon  the  most  notable  object  in  the  collec- 
tion is  the  so-called  leaden  casket  in  which  was  buried 
the  heart  of  the  famous  King,  Richard  Cceur  de  Lion, 
who  was  slain  by  a  bolt  from  the  crossbow  of  Bertrand 
de  Gourdon  at  the  siege  of  the  castle  of  Chaluz.  His 
body  lies  at  the  feet  of  his  father  at  Fontevrault,  near 
Tours,  but  his  heart,  encased  in  two  leaden  caskets, 
was  buried  in  the  cathedral  at  Rouen,  "  the  faithful 
city."  The  exact  place  of  its  burial  seems  to  have  been 
forgotten  in  the  lapse  of  years,  but  it  was  rediscovered 
in  1840,  put  in  a  new  casket,  and  once  more  buried 
in  its  old  resting-place  in  the  choir.  The  old  leaden 
cases,  the  outer  one  of  which  was  much  corroded, 
were  placed  in  the  "  Trcsor,"  or  treasure-chamber,  and 
on  one  is  to  be  seen  this  inscription: 

Cercueil 

et 

Boite  de  Plomb 

on  fut  renferme 

lors  de  sa  sepulture  en  1199 

le  Cceur  de 
RICHARD  CCEUR  DE  LION 

Trouves  en  1840 

dans  le  sanctuaire  de  la  Cathedral 
de  Rouen. 

The  inner  casket,  after  all  these  centuries  of  time,  is 
still  in  good  condition,  the  inscription  it  bears  being 


iS  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

perfectly  legible.  The  Latin  is  quaint  enough,  and 
though  the  art  of  working  on  metais  was  quite 
advanced  at  that  time,  and  rare  and  beautiful  objects 
were  wrought,  the  man  selected  to  do  this  piece  of 
work  could  not  have  been  a  skilled  workman,  even  if 
his  casket  was  to  hold  the  heart  of  the  mightiest  king 
on  earth.  He  worked  so  ill  that  he  did  not  leave 
room  enough  on  the  line  to  put  the  whole  of  the  king's 
name,  but  had  to  carry  over  one  letter  to  the  next  line. 
Richard's  title  is  given  as  "  Regis  Anglorum,"  King 
of  the  English,  while  no  mention  is  made  of  either 
Normandy  or  Aquitaine.  The  inner  box  is  about  a 
foot  long,  eight  inches  wide,  and  five  inches  deep. 
The  fashion  of  burying  the  heart  was  a  not  unusual 
one,  for  in  those  days  it  was  well-nigh  impossible  to 
transport  the  body  to  some  loved  spot ;  but  the  heart, 
a  small  thing,  could  be  brought  home,  from  even  the 
scenes  of  the  Crusades,  and  laid  to  rest  where  its 
onetime  owner  desired. 

A  less  romantic  but  also  interesting  article  which 
is  occasionally  met  with  in  museums  is  a  "  cymaisc," 
a  kind  of  drinking-cup.  These  were  in  use  as  early 
as  1370,  when  mention  is  made  of  some  of  them  in  the 
inventory  of  the  Bishop  of  Troyes.  When  any  dig- 
nitary came  to  visit  a  city,  were  he  of  the  Church  or 
State,  it  was  customary  for  a  deputation  of  the  nobles 
of  the  town  to  go  out  and  meet  him  and  offer  him 
wine,  the  attendants  of  the  visitor  receiving  as  a  per- 
quisite the  cup  from  which  the  wine  was  drunk.  These 
great  cups  were  frequently  made  of  pewter,  fitted  with 
two  handles,  one  for  grasping  the  vessel  when  the 


Fig.  11.     GERMAN  TANKARDS  AND  JUG 
Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  Barry 


Fig.    11'.      (JKKMAX    IM-:\VT1-:K,      ENIJKAVED 

WORK 

Collection  of  J//-.S-.  Charles  Bait**/ 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  19 

liquor  was  taken  to  the  mouth,  the  other  a  swinging 
handle  fastened  near  the  top  of  the  cup.  The  fixed 
handles  were  plain  and  solid,  while  the  swinging  ones 
were  very  richly  ornamented.  Such  cups  were  also 
offered  as  prizes  for  feats  of  skill,  and  when  given  at 
shooting  contests  bore,  besides  the  name  of  the  town, 
a  bow  and  arrow  or  a  gun.  This  old  custom  holds 
good  to-day,  and  the  prizes  at  Oxford  and  Cambridge 
for  rowing  contests  are  still  called  "  pewter,  pots," 
though  now  they  are  only  Britannia  metal. 

In  Germany  the  chief  places  where  pewter  was  made 
were  Nuremberg  and  Augsburg,  records  of  enact- 
ments at  the  latter  place  showing  that  the  pewterers' 
workshops  were  inspected  by  the  masters  of  the  craft 
as  early  as  1324.  Nuremberg  had  her  famous  workers 
too, — at  this  time  Carel,  and  Sebaldus  Ruprecht  being 
among  the  best  known.  One  of  the  earliest  ordinances 
regulating  the  making  of  pewter  in  Nuremberg  is 
dated  1576.  In  this  it  is  expressly  stated  that  pew- 
terers were  forbidden  to  make  anything  with  English 
tin  or  beaten  tin,  only  pure  tin  being  recognised,  with- 
out the  addition  of  any  lead.  Such  articles  as  were 
made  according  to  these  regulations  could  be  marked 
with  an  eagle  and  a  crown,  while  those  which  were 
made  after  the  English  fashion  were  to  have,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  eagle  and  crown,  a  rose  as  well. 

Each  member  of  the  craft  had  to  make  a  sample 
plate  and  have  it  approved  by  the  master  craftsmen, 
after  which  he  was  allowed  to  punch  it  with  his  private     , 
mark,  which  consisted  of  the  eagle  (the  town  mark), 
in  the  field  of  which  he  added  his  own  device.    The 


20          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

plate  so  marked  might  then  be  hung  in  some  public 
place  where  his  mark  could  be  seen  and  noted,  so  that 
his  ware  could  be  recognised  by  those  who  had  it  in 
use  in  their  households.  Apparently  this  was  as  near 
as  it  was  allowed  for  merchants  to  advertise  their 
wares.  The  ordinance  closes  with  this  order : 

"  The  masters  must  go  at  least  four  times  a  year  into  all 
workshops,  cellars,  and  shops,  to  see  if  the  alloy  is  pure.  If  they 
find  in  their  inspection  defects  in  work  caused  by  careless  cast- 
ing or  had  turning,  the  article  is  to  be  broken  up,  and  if  the 
pieces  weigh  more  than  half  a  pound  the  owner  of  the  workshop 
is  to  pay  a  fine  of  one  twelfth.  If  the  pieces  exceed  half  a  pound 
in  weight,  they  are  to  be  put  into  the  melting-pot/' 

A  fine  example  of  one  of  the  great  flagons  or  drink- 
ing-vessels  is  shown  in  Figure  8.  It  is  of  German 
manufacture,  and  an  inscription  on  the  front  shows 
that  it  belonged  to  a  German  cavalry  regiment, 
though  there  is  no  date.  The  figure  on  the  top  is  a 
cavalry  officer  in  uniform,  and  it  is  to  be  regretted 
that  there  is  no  maker's  mark.  )  This  style  of  tiagon 
was  familiar  in  the  seventeenth  century,  and  they  were 
extremely  heavy,  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  pounds 
being  not  uncommon.  The  pewter  was  made  of  great 
thickness  in  parts,  and,  as  they  were  almost  too  bulky 
to  pass  around,  a  tap  was  often  added  later.  The 
one  on  the  cavalry  cup  is  more  ornamental  than  useful, 
and  in  keeping  with  the  cherubs'  heads  which  answer 
for  feet.  This  piece  is  twenty-two  inches  high  and  in 
excellent  condition,  although  the  cherubs'  noses  are 
somewhat  battered. 

A  small   and   more   modern   drinking-tankard,   six 


Fig.  13.     FLEMISH  PEWTER,  MARKED  "GHENT 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  Browne 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  21 

inches  high,  simple  in  form,  and  with  a  fine  thumb- 
piece,  is  shown  in  Figure  9.  It  has  a  splendid  maker's 
mark  on  the  inner  side, — a  crowned  figure  standing 
in  a  circle. 

I  have  found  only  one  soup-tureen;  it  is  of  German 
make,  and  is  shown  in  Figure  10.  The  mark  on  the 
bottom  is  much  worn,  but  the  piece  may  be  seen  at  the 
Museum  of  Cooper  Union,  New  York..  The  bowl  is 
fine  in  shape,  moulded  in  panels,  and  stands  in  a  tray, 
also  moulded  in  panels,  and  rather  deep.  The  quality 
of  the  pewter  is  excellent  and  readily  takes  a  high 
polish. 

Two  German  tankards  and  a  pitcher  are  shown  in 
Figure  n,  all  of  good  workmanship.  The  smallest 
tankard  bears  within  the  name  of  Ruprecht,  which 
was  famous  among  pewter-workers  in  the  fourteenth 
century,  though  this  piece  is  not  so  old,  of  course.  It 
is,  however,  one  of  the  old  types,  before  the  lids  began 
to  rise,  the  modern  tankard  having  a  bell-shaped  lid, 
years  adding  successive  degrees  of  height  till  they 
were  often  several  inches  high.  This  lid  has  a 
medallion  set  in  the  top, — a  favourite  form  of  decora- 
tion, a  coin  sometimes  being  used  instead  of  the  medal- 
lion. The  second  tankard  is  of  rather  unusual  shape, 
the  bottom  looking  more  like  a  pitcher  than  a  tankard. 
It  is  dated  1789  on  the  ornamental  band  which  goes 
around  the  top.  This  kind  of  ornament  was  known 
as  "  wriggled  "  or  "  joggled  "  work.  Owing  to  the 
character  of  the  alloy,  engraved  work  wears  out  very 
quickly,  since  it  has  to  be  very  lightly  done,  as  deeply 
cut  work  weakens  the  ware.  The  tool  which  makes 


22  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

the  wriggled  work  is  of  the  nature  of  a  chisel,  the 
blades  being  of  varying  width,  the  common  size  meas- 
uring about  an  inch.  The  pattern  is  impressed  on  the 
object  by  rocking  or  joggling  the  tool  along,  and 
although  this  work  is  found  on  the  pewter  of  all 
countries,  the  German  and  Dutch  pewterers  seem  to 
have  had  a  particular  preference  for  it.  The  Dutch 
put  much  of  it  on  pewter  for  church  use,  covering  the 
chalice  or  flagons  with  long  stories  from  the  Bible, 
the  quaint  figures  having  below  them  a  few  words 
to  indicate  what  they  are  intended  to  represent.  For 
such  purposes  the  tool  may  be  as  fine  as  one  thirty- 
second  of  an  inch  broad.  A  running  pattern  is  often 
chosen  for  secular  vessels,  and  the  lines  seem  to 
be  composed  of  dots,  as  on  the  tankard,  but  on 
close  inspection  the  connecting  line  can  be  discov- 
ered. 

On  the  little  pitcher  with  the  wooden  handle,  a 
small  beading  is  seen  around  the  lid,  produced  by  a 
stamping  or  milling  process. 

In  Figure  12  is  shown  some  handsome  work  done 
with  an  engraver's  tool.  In  this  work  some  of  the 
pewter  is  removed  with  each  stroke  of  the  tool,  and  a 
tracing-tool  is  used  besides,  the  graver  making  the 
deeper  lines.  All  three  of  these  pieces  have  elaborate 
coats  of  arms  on  them,  and  the  bowl  is  plainly  marked 
"  Graf  von  Ehren,  1735."  They  all  are  marked  with 
the  rose  and  crown,  which  is  found  on  Dutch,  German, 
French,  Flemish,  and  Scotch  as  well  as  English  ware, 
though  the  idea  is  prevalent  that  the  mark  is  exclu- 
sively English.  I  would  feel  inclined  to  say  that  the 


'      '        '''•*-'..' 


Fig.   14.     EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY  BENITIER,   FLEMISH 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  23 

lip  on  the  beaker  had  been  added  later,  but  on  it  are 
to  be  found  some  of  the  maker's  marks. 

The  use  of  the  graver  can  always  be  distinguished 
from  the  tracing-tool  by  the  appearance  of  the  orna- . 
ment.  The  graver  removes  some  metal  with  every 
stroke,  while  the  tracing-tool  is  held  in  a  vertical  po- 
ssition  and  is  struck  with  a  mallet,  a  small  portion  of  the 
alloy  being  displaced  and  standing  up  on  each  side  of 
the  pattern,  like  a  furrow.  As  the  pattern  progressed, 
the  tool  was  moved  along  in  the  proper  direction  and 
was  regularly  struck  with  the  mallet,  and  if  the  object 
on  which  the  ornament  is  applied  be  examined  with 
a  magnify  ing-glass,  the  marks  of  the  mallet  may  be 
plainly  seen.  To  make  this  style  of  ornamentation 
there  were  curved  punching-tools  as  well  as  straight 
ones,  but  if  the  decorator  were  a  man  of  skill  he 
could  produce  nearly  all  his  effects  with  the  straight 
tool. 

Another  form  of  ornament  was  called  "  pricked  " 
work,  and  presents  a  similar  appearance  to  the  wrig- 
gled ornament.  It  was  often  finished  with  a  slight 
engraved  line  on  either  side  of  it,  and  if  kept  to  severe 
and  simple  curves  was  not  a  bad  ornamentation. 

Pewter  at  its  best  is  plain,  relying  for  its  pleasing 
appearance  on  its  form,  on  the  quality  of  the  alloy,  and 
on  its  colour.  Some  of  the  Corporation  or  Guild  cups 
are  very  handsome,  being  tall,  stately  vessels,  the 
simple  lettering  in  script,  either  on  the  body  of  the 
cup  or  on  a  shield,  being  all  that  was  necessary.  There 
were  many  calls,  however,  for  more  elaborate  work, 
and  there  were  masters  of  the  craft  who  wrought  in 


24  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

this  simple  metal  in  what  we  must  confess  was  a  pleas- 
ing style.  \ 

Many  of  the  European  museums  anoVsome  of 
America  have  specimens  of  this  ancient  c^«t  and 
worked  pewter,  and  the  Nuremberg  Museum,  besides 
the  collections  in  the  lower  halls,  which  consist  of 
splendid  cups  and  tankards  which  belonged  to  Guilds 
and  Corporations,  has  in  the  upper  story  a  kitchen 
furnished  after  the  fashion  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
Here  may  be  studied  many  wonderful  examples  of 
domestic  articles  in  pewter,  as  well  as  some  which 
were  used  on  state  occasions  only.  These  articles 
are  so  arranged  that  the  visitor  has  every  opportunity 
to  study  them,  and  it  is  a  way  vastly  superior  to 
placing  them  in  cases,  where  it  is  impossible  to  see 
more  than  one  side  of  an  object,  and  never  the 
markings. 

Figure  13  is  a  salver  or  tray  which  measures  ten 
inches  in  diameter,  with  a  good  rococo  border  of 
carved  and  pierced  work.  It  is  marked  on  the  back, 
"  Ghent,"  and  the  maker's  name  is  plainly  stamped 
in  two  places,  "  Charnold  Lucas,"  in  an  oval-shaped 
touclt-mark,  the  name  coming  at  the  bottom,  while 
on  the  upper  side  of  the  oval  are  the  words,  "  Fin 
blok  Zin."  In  the  centre  of  the  touch  is  the  figure 
of  an  angel  with  a  sheaf  in  its  hand,  and  somewhat 
abbreviated  garments,  as  the  feet  are  plainly  to  be 
seen.  It  is  not  the  figure  of  St.  Michel,  which  was 
sometimes  used  by  the  Ghent  pewterers,  though  it 
was  the  Brussels  mark  also.  The  Lucases  were  well- 
known  English  pewterers,  Robert  Lucas  being  a 


Fig.  15.      SWISS  PLATE 
Boston  .}fux<'i<)ii  of  Fine  Arts 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  25 

master  in  1667,  and  Stephen  being  one  as  late  as 
1824.  Charnold  Lucas  must  have  been  one  of  the 
family  who  settled  in  Ghent  and  carried  on  his  busi- 
ness there,  and  very  beautiful  work  he  did  too,  treat- 
ing the  material  as  if  it  were  silver.  The  fine  scale- 
work  in  portions  of  the  pattern  is  worthy  of  note. 

At  the  Museum  of  Ghent  there  is  a  touch-plate  of 
the  Ghent  pewterers  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth 
centuries.  The  commonest  mark  was  the  rose  and 
crown,  with  the  initials  of  the  maker  placed  just  below 
the  crown,  or  even  in  it.  There  was  another  mark 
which  seems  to  have  been  an  equal  favourite,  and  that 
was  a  small  hammer  having  on  either  side  of  its 
handle  a  shield,  one  bearing  a  lion,  and  the  other  a 
lamb  with  a  flag.  A  crown  is  placed  above  the  whole 
device. 

There  are  still  workers  at  the  pewterer's  trade  in 
Ghent,  the  most  famous  being  members  of  the  De 
Keghels  family.  There  is  a  touch-plate  at  Ghent 
which  shows  many  of  the  ancient  family  marks,  among 
them  being  the  rose  and  cro.wn  of  course,  with  the 
initial  letters  sometimes  going  across  the  rose,  but 
more  often  in  the  crown.  Another  mark  of  this  fam- 
ily was  an  oval  containing  a  fleur-de-lys  and  the  letters 
I.  D.  K.  Then  there  are  a  Maltese  cross  within  a 
circle,  a  sheep  in  an  oblong,  a  heart  in  an  oval,  a  heart 
pierced  with  two  arrows,  and — perhaps  the  hand- 
somest mark  of  all — a  lion  within  a  circle. 

The  Flemish  workers  in  pewter  often  produced 
works  of  great  delicacy  and  beauty,  and  did  not  con- 
fine its  use  to  domestic  utensils  and  corporation  pieces. 


26  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

They  also  used  it  for  church  vessels,  although  this 
was  protested  against  very  strongly  by  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  on  the  ground  that  pewter  was  not 
sufficiently  precious  metal  from  which  to  fashion 
sacred  vessels.  In  847  the  Council  of  Rheims,  and  in 
the  thirteenth  century  the  Synod  of  Canterbury,  for- 
bade its  use  for  making  the  paten  and  chalice.  In 
1252,  at  Nismes,  these  two  decisions  were  confirmed, 
but  poor  communities  were  permitted  to  continue  the 
use  of  their  pewter  vessels.  Even  at  the  present  day 
in  Belgium  the  Eucharistic  vessels  for  every-day  use 
are  made  of  pewter,  and  down  to  the  times  of  the 
Revolution  in  France  it  was  the  custom  to  reserve 
the  vessels  of  precious  metal  for  special  services  and 
great  occasions. 

You  may  find  to-day  hanging  in  Flemish  churches 
the  bcnitieTj  or  Holy-Water  cup,  and  it  may  be  made 
of  pewter,  though  it  will  not  be  so  ornate  or  finely 
wrought  as  the  one  shown  in  Figure  14,  which  was 
made  in  the  eighteenth  century.  It  is  fashioned  with 
almost  the  fineness  of  silver,  and  so  carefully  finished 
after  it  was  removed  from  the  mould  that  it  looks 
almost  like  hand-work.  These  small  articles  were 
sometimes  hung  beneath  the  shrines  at  the  wayside, 
but  most  of  them  were  much  cruder  objects  than 
this  one. 

One  of  the  most  famous  examples  of  cast-work  is 
shown  in  Figure  15.  It  is  a  plate,  or  Kaiserteller, 
eight  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  border  of  thirteen 
lobes,  each  one  displaying  the  arms  of  one  of  the  Swiss 
Cantons.  It  is  presumably  of  Swiss  workmanship  and 


Fig.    10.      KAISEIITELLER,    FERDINAND    III 
Boston  Museum  of  Fine  Arts 


FOREIGN     PEWTER  27 

is  dated  1508.  Between  the  three  upper  lobes,  lettered 
Bern,  Zurich,  and  Lucern,  may  be  distinguished  three 
shields.  These  bear,  first  the  letter  G;  next  a  mono- 
gram made  up  of  the  letjc/a  I.  S. ;  and  then  a  mer- 
chant's m?rk.  T»  Z.  which  is  repeated  on  the  back. 
Around  the  medallion  in  the  centre  is  the  legend : 

•'  DO  .  MAN  .  1508  .  ZELT  .  DER  .  ERSTE  . 
PUNDT  .  WARD  .  VON  .  GOTERWELT." 

The  alloy  is  extremely  soft  and  has  suffered  somewhat, 
as  may  be  seen,  but  in  the  main  the  plate  is  in  excellent 
preservation,  considering  its  age,  though  it  has  been 
used  for  ornament  only. 

Another  very  choice  piece  of  pewter  is  the  plate 
shown  in  Figure  16.  This  specimen  is  some  of  the 
famous  Nuremberg  work,  and  has  for  its  central 
medallion  the  figure  of  Ferdinand  III.  On  the  border 
are  the  six  Electors,  with  their  coats  of  arms.  On 
the  back  is  the  date  1645,  and  between  the  16  and 
the  45  is  the  letter  S  pierced  by  an  arrow.  In  another 
place  are  the  letters  I.  G.  L.  This,  like  the  previous 
plate,  is  of  extremely  soft  alloy,  but  still  shows  its 
fine  work.  The  excellence  of  the  moulds  in  which 
such  show-pieces  were  cast  left  little  work  to  be  done 
when  the  castings  were  removed. 


PART   II 

ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER 


PART    IT 

ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER 

THE  use  of  pewter  for  utensils  of  the  household  suc- 
ceeded wood,  and  their  manufacture  had  become  of 
sufficient  importance  in  England  by  the  end  of  the 
thirteenth  century  to  be  mentioned  in  official  docu- 
ments. By  1290  King  Edward  I  had  "  leaden" 
vessels  for  cooking  the  boiled  meats  for  the  coro- 
nation feast,  and  had  a  supply  of  over  three  hundred 
pewter  dishes,  salts,  and  platters  in  his  possession. 
He  seems  to  have  had  no  silver  plate  at  all. 

In  the  "  Rolls  of  Parliament "  there  is  a  curious 
document  called  "  State  of  the  Poor,"  and  in  this  are 
given  some  valuations  of  furniture  and  stock  in  trade 
of  some  of  the  merchants  of  Colchester,  England,  for 
the  year  1296.  A  carpenter's  stock  was  valued  at 
one  shilling,  and  consisted  of  five  tools  only.  The 
lists  of  the  other  tradesmen  were  almost  as  small; 
the  only  one  which  exceeded  one  pound  in  value  was 
that  of  a  tanner,  whose  stock  was  estimated  at 
£9  ?s.  iod.,  showing  that  his  was  the  principal  trade, 
a  fact  which  is  easily  understood,  as  the  chief  part  of 
men's  dress  was  leather.  Most  of  the  lesser  cities 
drew  upon  London  for  their  necessaries,  and  the  lists 
of  household  goods  among  even  the  nobles  were  won- 
derfully poor  and  mean.  Some  hundreds  of  years 

31 


32         OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,     ETC. 

later  Harrison  wrote  a  "  Description  of  England  in 
Shakespeare's  Youth,"  in  which  he  says : 

"  It  has  mines  of  gold,  silver,  and  tin  (of  which  all  manneT  of 
table  utensils  are  made,  in  brightness  equal  to  silver  and  used 
all  over  Europe),  of  lead  and  iron  alsoe,  but  not  much  of  the 
latter.  .  .  .  Tin  and  lead,  mettals  which  Strabo  noteth  in  his 
time  to  be  carried  unto  Marsilis  from  hence,  the  one  in  Corne- 
wall,  Devonshire  (and  elsewhere  in  the  north),  the  other  in 
Darby  Shire,  Weredale,  and  sundrie  places  of  this  Island; 
whereby  my  countrymen  doo  reap  no  small  commoditie,  but  es- 
peciallie  our  pewterers,  who  in  time  past  imploied  the  use  of 
pewter  onlie  upon  dishes,  pots,  and  a  few  other  trifles  for  use 
here  at  home,  whereas  now  they  are  growne  unto  such  ex- 
quisite cunning  that  they  can  in  manner  imitate  by  infusion  anie 
fashion  or  forme  of  cup,  dish,  salt  bowle,  or  goblet,  which  is 
made  by  goldsmith's  crafts,  though  they  be  never  so  curious,  ex- 
quisite, and  artificiallie  forged." 

Tin  by  itself  is  not  so  durable  and  ductile  as  lead, 
and  the  two  metals  combined  will  not  shrink  so  greatly 
as  either  taken  separately,  a  quality  which  had  to  be 
considered  when  the  object  under  consideration  had 
to  be  cast  in  a  mould.  Because  of  its  fusibility  pewter 
was  much  used  by  goldsmiths  to  take  the  first  castings 
of  medals  or  other  objects,  so  that  they  could  be 
shown  to  customers  for  approval.  Benvenuto  Cellini 
is  known  to  have  used  pewter  for  obtaining  the  first 
proofs  of  his  medals  and  coins,  and  also  used  it  to 
make  his  bronze  flow  more  easily.' 

The  earliest  pewter  of  best  quality  was  made  of  tin 
with  as  much  brass  as  the  tin  could  take  up,  the  pro- 
portion being  about  four  to  one.  In  this  quality, 
which  was  called  "  fine,"  were  made  many  small 
articles  like  salts,  cruets,  pitchers,  also  platters,  char- 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    33 

gers  and  church  vessels.  A  less  fine  quality  consisted 
of  tin  and  lead,  and  the  proportion  here  was  also  four 
to  one.  This  alloy  was  used  for  candlesticks,  bowls, 
and  pots.  The  tankards  and  mugs  used  in  public 
houses  had  a  still  greater  proportion  of  lead,  and  were 
sometimes  known  as  "  black  metal,"  because  they 
tarnished  so  easily.  The  composition  of  Japanese 
pewter  of  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  centuries 
is  almost  identical  with  the  second  quality  of  pewtei 
already  spoken  of, — that  is,  about  one  to  four  of  lead 
and  tin. 

It  is  impossible  to  tell  easily,  and  without  applying 
a  chemical  test,  how  much  lead  a  piece  of  pewter  con- 
tains. If  you  pass  a  piece  of  pewter  across  a  bit  of 
white  paper,  the  presence  of  lead  will  be  indicated  by 
a  dark  mark, — the  greater  the  amount  of  lead  the 
darker  the  mark.  If  there  is  as  much  as  ninety  parts 
of  tin  to  ten  of  lead,  there  will  be  no  mark,  but  seventy- 
five  per  cent  of  tin,  and  twenty-five  of  lead  will  give 
a  faint  mark.  Between  these  two  points  it  is  all  guess- 
work, and  with  less  than  seventy-five  per  cent  of  tin 
all  pewter  will  give  this  mark. 

The  methods  of  making  pewter  have  always  been  the 
same,  and  it  depended  upon  the  nature  of  the  object 
whether  it  was  cast,  or  hammered,  or  both,  and  then 
finished  by  being  put  upon  a  lathe  and  burnished. 

The  most  necessary  thing  for  a  pewterer  was  a  set 
of  moulds,  and  as  these  were  made,  if  possible,  of  gun- 
metal,  they  were  costly  and  could  not  be  easily 
obtained.  Probably  this  was  one  reason  for  the  gath- 
ering of  the  pewterers  into  guilds  or  fellowships,  for 


34  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

in  that  case  the  moulds  were  owned  by  the  company 
and  were  loaned  or  rented  to  members,  some  guilds, 
like  those  at  York,  England,  making  a  special  rule 
that  the  moulds  were  to  be  loaned  without  charge  to 
the  members. 

Although  pewter  was  sometimes  cast  in  sand  or 
in  moulds  of  plaster-of-paris  or  metal,  the  best  moulds, 
as  already  stated,  were  of  gun-metal.  These  were  / 
fitted  with  wooden  handles  for  convenience  in  lifting, 
and  after  a  pewter  object  was  taken  from  the  mould 
it  was  made  bright  by  polishing.  If  possible,  the 
article  was  cast  in  one  piece,  and  this  was  the  case  with 
small  objects,  such  as  spoons,  small  salts,  porringers, 
bleeding-dishes,  etc.  \Yhen  it  came  to  large  ewers,  or 
tankards  with  bulging  sides,  it  was  necessary  to  cast 
the  piece  in  sections,  solder  them  together,  and  then 
finish  them  off,  but  it  is  almost  always  possible  to 
detect  the  joints.  Tankards  with  straight  sides  were 
also  cast  in  three  pieces,  and  in  some  the  bottom  was 
made  of  glass,  so  that  the  customer  could  keep  an  eye 
as  to  the  quality  of  liquor  he  was  getting.  If  the 
handles  were  hollow,  they  were  cast  in  two  pieces, 
joined,  and  then  soldered  to  the  body  of  the  tankard. 

Plates,  properly  made,  were  first  cast  and  then 
hammered,  four  or  five  rows  of  hammer-marks  show- 
ing on  the  under  side.  The  hammering  gave  strength 
to  the  metal  and  a  good  finish.  This  rule,  however, 
applies  solely  to  the  smaller  sizes  of  plates,  for  large 
platters,  or  chargers,  were  made  entirely  with  the 
hammer  from  rolled  sheets  of  metal.  It  was  the 
ancient  custom  to  fashion  small  dishes  or  bowls  with 


Fig,   18.      KITCHEN   AT   MOUNT   VKRNON 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    35 

"  ears  "  all  in  one  piece,  and  those  pewterers  who  made 
the  ears  separately  and  soldered  them  on  were  repri- 
manded if  the  fact  were  discovered  by  the  company. 
Saltcellars  were  either  cast  in  a  mould  and  then  hand- 
finished,  or  cast  in  two  pieces,  then  soldered,  and  fin- 
ished. This  is  usually  the  case  with  those  which 
have  a  foot. 

The  tools  used  by  the  pewterer  were  comparatively 
simple  and  few  in  number.  After  the  moulds,  the 
lathe  was  the  most  important  implement.  It  con- 
sisted of  a  head-stock  and  a  tail-stock,  with  a  simple 
mandrel,  the  motive  power  being  supplied  by  a  boy 
or  an  unskilled  workman,  who  was  called  a  "  turn- 
wheel."  Then  came,  in  order  of  value,  the  hammer, 
the  anvil,  chisels,  gouges,  hooks,  and  the  tools  used 
in  burnishing.  Notwithstanding  that  the  lathe  was 
considered  a  tool  in  the  pewterers'  craft,  its  use  was 
restricted,  and  an  edict  dated  1595  enacts  that  no 
saucers  shall  be  sold  save  those  which  are  beaten  with 
hammers. 

The  most  valuable  records  of  the  English  pew- 
terers and  their  craft  are  contained  in  the  books  of 
"  The  Worshipful  Company  of  Pewterers,"  which  go 
back  as  far  as  1348, — about  the  middle  of  the  reign  of 
Edward  III.  The  Company  is  described  as  the  "  Craft 
of  Pewterers,"  and  the  ordinances  deal  exclusively 
with  matters  relating  to  the  trade.  These  records, 
which  contain  the  history  of  the  Company  down  to 
1760,  have  recently  been  transcribed, — a  task  of 
almost  unending  difficulty,  which  has  been  accom- 
plished by  Mr.  Charles  Welch,  librarian  of  the  Guild- 


35  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

hall,  London.  The  earliest  regulations  (1348)  seen* 
to  have  been  drawn  so  as  to  enforce  the  making  of  a 
high  quality  of  pewter,  a  reputation  for  which  has 
always  been  the  aim  of  "  The  Worshipful  Company." 
The  original  ordinances,  which  were  drawn  up  and 
submitted  to  the  mayor  and  aldermen  for  their 
approval,  are  still  a  part  of  the  records,  and  are  written 
in  both  Latin  and  Norman  French,  according  to  the 
ancient  custom  of  the  city.  I  give  the  first  paragraph 
as  it  runs  translated  by  Mr.  H.  T.  Riley,  in  his  "  Memo- 
rials of  London,"  printed  in  1868: 

"  First  for  as  moche  os  the  crafte  of  peuterers  is  founded  vppon 
certaine  maters  &  metales  as  of  brasse  tyn  &  lede  in  pte  of  the 
wheche  iij  metals  they  make  vessels  that  is  to  saie  pottes  salers 
clysshes  platers  and  othir  thinges  by  good  folke  be  spoken  wheche 
werkes  aske  certaine  medles  &  alays  aftir  the  maner  of  the 
tiessels  be  spoken  which  thinges  can  not  be  made  without  goode 
auisement  of  the  peuterere  experte  and  kunnynge  in  the  crafte. 
Therevppon  the  crafte  goode  folk  of  the  crafte  praien  that  it  be 
ordeined  that  iij  or  iiij  moste  trew  &  cunnyng  of  the  crafte  be 
chosen  to  ouersee  the  alales  and  werkes  aforesaide.  And  by 
thaire  examinacion  and  asay  amendement  to  be  made  where  the 
defaute  is  hastely  vppon  the  dede  and  if  any  rebel  ayenst  the 
wardeins  or  assaiours  than  the  dafaute  and  the  name  of  the  tres- 
passour  rebelle  to  be  sent  to  the  maire  and  to  be  iuged  in  the 
presence  of  the  goode  folke  of  the  Crafte  that  have  take  the  de- 
faute. And  be  it  vnderstonde  that  al  maner  vessells  of  peauter 
as  disshes  Saucers  platers  chargeours  pottes  square  Cruettes 
square  Crismatories  and  othir  thinges  that  they  make  square  or 
Cistils  that  they  be  made  of  fyne  peauter  and  the  mesure  of 
Brasse  to  the  tyn  as  moche  as  it  wol  receiue  of  his  nature  of  the 
same  and  al  othir  thinges  of  the  saide  crafte  that  be  wrozte  as 
pottes  rounde  that  pertaine  to  the  crafte  to  be  wrouzte  of  tyn 
with  an  aiay  of  lede  to  a  resonable  mesure  and  the  mesure  of 
the  alay  of  an  C  tyn  xxvj  Ib.  lede  and  that  is  called  vessels  of 
tyn  for  euer," 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    37 

The  ordinance  goes  on  to  state : 

That  none  may  become  a  member  of  the  craft  unless 
he  "  wirke  truely  "  and  hath  been  an  apprentice. 

That  none  may  sell  pewter  ware  in  the  city  till  it  has 
been  assayed  by  the  wardens  and  found  satisfactory. 

That  neither  is  it  lawful  to  send  ware  out  of  the 
city  for  sale,  unless  it  has  been  assayed  by  the  wardens. 
If  such  be  done,  he  shall  "  be  ateint  afore  the  maire 
and  aldermen  be  he  punished  bi  theire  discrecion  aftir 
his  trespasse  whan  he  is  atient  at  the  sute  of  the  goode 
folke  of  his  crafte." 

Then  come  the  penalties  to.be  enforced  on  appren- 
tices who  are  dishonest,  on  members  of  the  craft  who 
do  bad  work,  and  also  the  rule  which  savours  of  the 
"  closed  shop," — that  none  may  work  at  night! 

No  man  is  to  entice  away  another  man's  workmen, 
and  no  one  is  to  take  a  workman  who  has  not  been 
apprenticed. 

The  earliest  name  by  which  this  Company  was 
known  was  "  The  Craft  of  Pewterers  " ;  by  1528  it  was 
altered  to  "The  Craft  or  Mystery";  and  in  1611  the 
words  Craft  and  Mystery  disappear,  and  from  that 
date  the  name  was  "  The  Company  of  Pewterers." 

Although  great  care  is  taken  to  give  the  proportions 
of  lead  and  tin  used  in  the  inferior  quality  of  pewter, 
which  made  what  was  known  as  "  vessels  of  tin,"  the 
proportions  used  in  "  fine  pewter,"  which  is  a  mixture 
of  tin  and  brass,  is  left  very  vague  and  was  doubtless  a 
trade  secret. 

The  regulations  which  governed  the  craft  were  most 
jealously  guarded  and  enforced,  for  the  credit  of  the 


38  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

trade,  .and  this  was  not  peculiar  to  the  pewterers  alone, 
but  common  to  all  the  guilds.  By  a  statute  passed  in 
1363  it  was  enacted  that  "two  of  every  craft  shall  be 
chosen  to  survey  that  none  use  other  craft  than  that 
same  which  he  has  chosen/'  which  prohibited  any 
"  handy  man  "  from  getting  more  than  his  share  of 
business. 

For  seventy-five  years  the  craft  prospered  and  grew 
very  powerful  (it  was  fourteenth  in  the  list  of  guilds), 
and  the  Company  kept  taking  to  itself  new  privileges 
without  laying  the  matters  before  the  mayor  and  alder- 
men. It  was  brought  up  with  a  round  turn  by  this 
latter  body,  which  had  no  idea  of  seeing  perquisites 
and  power  slipping  from  itself,  and  all  the  ordinances 
made  previous  to  the  year  1438,  without  the  authority 
of  the  mayor  or  aldermen,  were  annulled. 

It  was  further  enacted  that  every  pewterer  should 
attend  at  the  Pewterers'  Hall  when  summoned,  and 
a  "  bedel  "  was  appointed  to  see  to  this  matter.  At 
the  same  time  a  table  of  regulations  for  the  standard 
weight  of  vessels  was  drawn  up,  and  offenders  who 
did  not  make  their  wares  conform  to  this  standard 
were  to  be  dealt  with  accordingly. 

The  different  kinds  of  ware  were  made  by  different 
workmen, — plates  and  chargers  by  one  set,  called 
"  Sad-ware  men " ;  pots  and  vessels  for  liquids  by 
another  class  known  as  "  Hollow-ware  men " ;  and 
spoons,  little  salts,  and  other  small  wares  by  the  poorer 
members  of  the  trade,  who  were  designated  "  Triflers." 

So  great  were  the  powers  exercised  by  the  body  of 
pewterers  that  it  was  enabled  to  ask  and  obtain  the 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    39 

privilege  of  getting  a  fourth  part  of  all  the  tin  which 
was  brought  into  London,  and  the  wardens  of  the  craft 
had  to  see  that  enough  tin  for  their  use  was  brought 
from  the  mines  of  Cornwall  and  Devonshire,  and  that 
the  merchants  of  the  stannaries  did  not  abuse  their 
rights  and  adulterate  its  quality.  From  time  to  time 
the  fact  crops  out  that  the  quality  of  the  tin  sent  up  to 
London  was  tampered  with,  and  there  are  many  com- 
plaints and  petitions  regarding  it.  So  many  trades 
were  affected  that  in  1707  the  Company  petitioned  the 
Lord  Treasurer  with  reference  to  the  abuses  in  certain 
mines  in  Cornwall  and  Devon.  The  petition  states 
that  the  mines  produced — 

— "oar  of  three  Qualityes  all  verry  useful  .  .  .  which  qualityes 
render  it  preferrable  to  all  other  Tin  in  the  World." 

And  then  it  goes  on  to  relate  that  the — 

— "constant  practice  &  usage  of  the  Tinners  had  formerly  been 
to  smelt  or  blow  the  Oar  from  cache  mine  by  itselfe,  at  some  con- 
tiguos  Blowinghouse  whch  kept  their  sevrall  Qualityes  intire." 

But  it  seemed  that  large  proprietors  had  acquired, 
under  Letters  Patent,  the  right  to  buy  from  different 
mines  and  smelt  down  the  various  qualities,  and  thus 
rendering  it  unfit — 

— "  for  abundance  of  uses  wherin  Tin  is  wholly  consumed.  Its 
quality  and  lustre  being  changed,  An  Scarlett  Dyers,  Tin  ffoyl 
workers,  Potters  for  all  white  Ware,  Pinmakers,  Founders, 
Plumbers  and  Glasiers  .  .  .  nor  is  the  sd  Tin  of  itself  soe  fitt 
to  be  sent  to  Turky  and  other  places  in  Barrs  nor  for  making 
fine  Pewter  or  for  Dyers  Kettles  &etc.  And  although  the  Pew- 
terers  of  London  at  this  time  are  obliged  to  take  the  Tin  as  it 
riseth  or  yet  stand  still  Yet  when  Tin  shall  be  free  there  will  be 
a  difference  made  in  price  between  Tinn  blown  as  formerly  and 
this  now  complained  of." 


40  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

And  the  petition  prays  for  some  remedy  of  these 
evils. 

The  first  record  made  in  these  books  for  the  pur- 
chase of  a  number  of  moulds  is  dated  1451 ;  they  were 
for  the  use  of  the  members,  and  they  consisted  of  "  plat 
molde,  dyshe  molde,  Sawsyrmolde,  medyl  molde,  Saly- 
dyshe  molde,  quawre  molde,  and  Trenchor  molde." 

At  this  period  (about  1450)  the  members  of  the 
craft  seem  to  have  been  divided  into  two  if  not  more 
classes, — the  "  bretheren,"  who  took  a  share  in  the 
government  of  the  craft,  and  the  "  freemen,"  who  had 
to  be  content  with  the  trade  privileges  only.  "  Sust- 
ren  "  were  admitted  to  the  craft,  not  only  to  the 
religions  fellowship,  but  as  working  members,  since 
the  audit  books  show  that  they  made  their  contribu- 
tions, which  are  included  in  the  accounts.  Yet,  even 
so,  in  1590  it  was  ordered  that — 

— "  whereas  Andrew  bowyar  hath  herto  fore  byne  admonyshed 
for  settynge  a  worke  a  woman  to  graue  vppon  his  pewter  con- 
trary to  the  ordynaunce  of  the  house  and  hath  payed  his  fyne  for 
it,  at  this  court  he  is  charged  agayne  for  the  lyke  offence  and  now 
he  is  adiuged  to  pave  V.s.  for  a  fyne  and  yf  ever  he  be  found  to  do 
the  lyke  then  he  shall  paye  the  vtmost  of  the  fyne  whch  is  iij.  li." 

Many  functions  were  observed  by  the  Company  other 
than  those  of  mere  business.  Its  members  always 
attended  the  funerals  of  those  of  the  craft  who  died, 
and  the  charges  for  "  drynke "  are  duly  set  down. 
Before  the  Company  took  possession  of  its  "  Create 
Hall,"  it  rented  a  hall  of  the  Austin  Friars,  and  from 
the  Grey  Friars  the  use  of  a  hall  for  the  three  great 
religious  festivals  of  the  year, — Christmas,  Easter, 
and  the  Feast  of  the  Assumption.  The  altar  was  kept 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    41 

bright  at  the  expense  of  the  craft,  although  it  is  noted 
that  some  half-burned  candles  were  returned  to  the 
chandler  who  furnished  them,  and  were  duly  allowed 
for  in  his  account. 

Even  before  its  incorporation,  the  Guild  had  owned 
a  seal,  and,  as  its  patroness  was  the  Virgin  Mary,  part 
of  the  device  of  the  Company  was  two  lily  pots,  which 
appeared  on  either  side  of  the  Virgin's  figure. 

The  Company  also  paid  for  the  "  Bedel,  his  gown," 
and  as  he  was  the  most  important  paid  official  of  the 
company  it  was  a  good  one.  He  lived  at  the  Hall, 
and  went  with  the  masters  and  wardens  when  they 
were  on  searches  for  pewter  which  was  not  up  to  the 
standard,  and  sometimes  he  went  on  searches  by  him- 
self. Besides  hunting  clown  delinquent  pewterers  he 
kept  the  Hall  in  order,  summoned  all  the  "  bretheren  " 
to  the  meetings,  paid  the  alms,  and,  under  the  charge 
of  the  master  and  wardens,  superintended  the  purchase 
of  tin,  lead,  etc.,  saw  to  the  renting  of  moulds,  stamp- 
ing of  wares,  and,  in  fact,  kept  up  all  the  trade  relations 
of  the  Company. 

The  guilds  of  London  were  great  and  important 
bodies,  bound  by  their  charters  to  render  many  duties 
to  the  city.  They  were  called  upon  to  defend  it,  as 
well  as  to  act  in  concert  with  the  governor  of  the 
Tower  and  furnish  men  for  its  defence  in  times  of  war 
or  civil  commotion.  There  are  numerous  entries  for 
such  service  in  the  interesting  records  of  the  Pewterers5 
Company,  and  one  of  the  first  of  these  is  in  1460,  when 
the  Company  furnished  two  men  fully  armed,  whom 
they  maintained  at  London  Bridge  for  thirty  days. 


42          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

The  history  of  these  great  guilds  is  really  English 
history,  and  in  the  pages  of  their  records  we  see 
reflected  the  struggles  and  turmoils  which  were  agitat- 
ing England.  About  this  same  time  (1463)  Edward 
IV  was  coming  from  Sheen  to  London  by  water,  and 
the  citizens  of  London,  who  had  given  him  great 
assistance,  went  joyfully  forth  to  meet  him,  and  all 
the  guilds  and  corporations  combined  to  give  him  a 
fitting  and  stately  welcome.  The  Pewterers'  Guild 
was  not  behind  the  other  and  more  powerful  guilds, 
hiring  a  boat  and  a  barge,  "  for  to  goo  wt  the  kyng  to 
resceiue  hym  atte  his  comyng." 

The  companies  gave  their  attendance  to  the  mayor 
seven  times  a  year  when  he  went  to  church,  or,  as  it 
is  recorded,  "to  Paules," — St.  Paul's  being  the  church 
where  services  were  held  with  the  greatest  state. 
These  seven  occasions  were  Allhallow's  Day  (Novem- 
ber i),  Christmas  Day,  St.  Stephen's  Day  (December 
26),  St.  John's  Day  (December  27),  New  Year's  Day, 
Twelfth  Day,  and  Candlemas  Day.  They  also  attended 
the  mayor  when  he  went  to  take  the  oath  of  office  at 
Westminster  on  St.  Simon's  and  St.  Jude's  Day  (Octo- 
ber 28),  and  the  wardens  of  the  Pewterers'  Guild  had 
a  place  at  the  mayor's  feast,  being  fourteenth  in  the 
order  of  precedence,  and  being  represented  by  five 
persons  besides  the  wardens.  Those  who  were  not 
invited  to  the  Guildhall,  where  the  dinner  was  held, 
had  a  dinner  provided  for  them  elsewhere  at  the  cost 
of  the  stewards. 

On  January  20,  1473,  Edward  IV  gave  a  charter 
to  the  Company,  by  which  it  became  a  corporation. 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    43 

This  charter  greatly  enlarged  its  powers  and  extended 
its  control  over  all  England.  By  this  means  its  searches 
for  inferior  ware  were  carried  on  throughout  the 
whole  country,  and  much  "  ley-metal,"  or  under- 
quality  pewter,  was  brought  to  London,  where  it  was 
bought  by  the  wardens  and  used  again  with  sufficient 
good  metal  added  to  bring  it  up  to  the  requirements. 

That  there  was  need  for  these  frequent  searches, 
the  following  item,  taken  from  that  valuable  reposi- 
tory of  manners  and  customs,  "  The  Paston  Letters," 
goes  to  show.  Madam  Paston,  writing  from  Norwich, 
England,  in  1452,  to  her  husband  in  London,  says: 

"  Right  worshipful  husband,  I  commend  me  to  you.  I  pray  you 
that  ye  will  buy  two  dozen  trenchers,  for  I  can  get  none  fit  in 
this  town." 

In  1461  the  same  conditions  apparently  still  exist,  for 
he  is  in  London  as  before,  and  she  writes  him : 

"Alsoe  if  ye  be  at  home  this  Christmas  it  were  well  done  ye 
should  purvey  a  garnish  or  train  of  pewter  vessels,  two  basins, 
two  ewers,  and  twelve  candlesticks  -for  ye  have  too  few  of  any 
of  these  to  serve  this  place." 

Although  this  lady  seems  very  subservient  and  meek 
to  her  husband,  she  was  a  terror  to  her  family.  One 
of  the  family  friends  was  a  certain  Stephen  Scrope, 
and  to  show  how  lax  were  the  ideas  of  the  times,  I 
quote  a  line  from  one  of  his  letters :  "  For  very  need 
I  was  fain  to  sell  a  little  daughter  I  have  for  much 
less  than  I  should."  In  after  years,  when  this  same 
Scrope  was  quite  an  old  man,  he  wished  to  marry 
Madam  Paston's  young  daughter,  and  the  girl  was 


44  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

quite  willing  to  take  him  provided  he  could  show  that 
his  land  was  not  burdened  with  debt.  Her  readiness 
does  not  seem  so  singular  when  we  read  that  the  poor 
girl  was  kept  in  confinement  by  her  mother,  who  beat 
her  at  least  twice  a  week,  so  that  she  writes  to  her 
brother,  "  My  head  is  continually  broken  in  two  or 
three  places ! "  She  also  says  that  if  the  Scrope  mar- 
riage cannot  be  arranged  she  hopes  he  will  hurry  and 
>me  one  else  for  her.  It  is  pleasant  to  know  that 
;l.c  did  find  somebody,  and  seems  to  have  been  reason- 
r.bly  happy. 

Madam  Paston  was  by  no  means  a  person  of  low 
degree,  but  the  whole  thing  is  typical  of  the  low  and 
material  view  of  life  which  prevailed  during  the  period 
of  the  Wars  of  the  Roses,  and  indeed  for  many  years 
after.  It  is  well-nigh  impossible  to  conceive  how  at 
this  time  the  barest  necessaries  were  limited.  The 
daily  bath  was  a  thing  unknown,  for,  though  centuries 
before,  in  the  southern  countries,  the  elegance  and 
convenience  of  the  splendid  baths,  where  both  hot  and 
cold  water  were  supplied,  were  notorious,  the  abuses 
engendered  by  them  had  brought  about  their  suppres- 
sion. Soap-balls  and  cleansing-balls  were  in  use,  to 
be  sure,  but  they  rather  glossed  over  than  remedied 
evils.  The  houses  were  kept  in  a  condition  which  can 
only  be  guessed  at,  since  such  morsels  as  were  not  eaten 
at  table  were  thrown  among  the  rushes  with  which  the 
floor  was  strewed,  and  were  shared  with  the  dogs, 
whose  leavings  were  in  turn  devoured  by  rats  and 
mice.  Often  these  rushes  remained  on  the  floor  for 
a  week  at  a  time,  or  perhaps  more,  and  when  they 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    45 

grew  too  dusty  they  were  sprinkled.  One  may  guess 
why  "  essences  and  flower-waters  "  were  chosen  for 
this  sprinkling. 

The  rich  prelates,  whose  furred  and  silken  garments 
were  the  mates  to  those  of  royalty  itself,  did  not  allow 
their  tables  to  be  any  less  richly  spread.  They  owned 
pewter  very  early,  for  when  John  Ely,  vicar  of  Ripon, 
died  in  1427,  he  left,  among  other  things,  "  di.dus. 
games  de  vessel  de  pewdre  cum  ij  chargiours." 

The  College  of  Auckland  had  in  its  storerooms  in 
1498,  "xx  pewder  platters,  xij  pewder  dyshes,  viii 
salters,  ii  paire  of  potclyppes,  j  garnishe  of  vessel, 
j  shaving  basyn." 

In  the  Convent  of  the  Holy  Cross,  at  Erfurt,  Sax- 
ony, as  far  back  as  1470,  there  were  found  one  hundred 
and  fifty  pewter  amphorae,  seventy  cups,  jugs,  por- 
ringers, etc.,  and  at  St.  Cyr,  two  hundred  pewter 
amphorae,  with  a  number  of  flagons  and  tankards. 

In  1575  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  possessed  — 

— "  eighteen  score  and  ten  pounds  of  pewter  vessels  in  the 
kitchen,  in  jugs,  basins,  porringers,  sauce-boats,  pots,  and  nine- 
teen candlesticks ;  also  pewter  measures  in  the  wine  cellar,  eight 
pewter  salts  in  the  pantry  at  Lambeth,  and  two  garnishes  of 
pewter  with  spoons,  at  Croyden." 

The  demand  for  pewter  vessels,  which  had  crowded 
out  wooden  utensils  and  those  of  horn,  continued,  and 
it  was  as  early  as  1474  that  the  marking  of  pewter  is 
first  noted.  All  inferior  pewter  was  to  be  stamped 
with  a  "broad  arrow,"  which  showed  that  it  was  to 
be  forfeited,  and  then  consigned  to  the  melting-pot 
and  recast  with  new  metal. 


46          OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,      ETC. 

The  "  touch-mark,"  which  is  so  often  spoken  of 
in  connection  with  pewter,  is  the  mark  of  the  maker 
of  each  particular  piece,  and  it  may  be  his  name,  or 
his  name  accompanied  by  some  device,  like  a  rose,  a 
figure,  or  an  animal.  At  first  no  list  of  these  marks 
was  kept  by  the  Company,  nor  was  there  any  regis- 
tration fee.  There  are,  however,  at  the  Pewterers' 
Hall  in  London,  five  great  boards  on  which  many 
marks  are  stamped.  The  earliest  marks  are  very  small, 
and  were  initials  only,  so  that  it  is  impossible  to 
identify  many  of  them,  though  the  marks  on  these 
plates  went  back  as  far  as  the  middle  of  the  fifteenth 
century. 

There  is  a  record  in  the  books,  in  the  year  1492,  of 
a  charge  of  two  shillings  for  "  markyn  Irons  for  hollow 
ware  men,"  and  this  must  have  been  for  official  use 
by  the  Company,  though  what  the  device  was,  is  not 
known. 

In  1503  there  was  made  the  first  compulsory  enact- 
ment for  the  affixing  of  the  name  of  the  maker  upon 
all  articles  of  pewter,  though  the  practice  had  been  in 
use  for  years  without  compulsion.  If  a  pewterer 
declined  to  mark  his  ware  he  was  fined  five  shillings 
or  more,  probably  according  to  the  will  of  the  master. 
The  great  fairs  which  were  held  in  various  parts  of 
England,  like  the  fair  at  St.  Albans  or  at  Stourbridge, 
were  also  "  searched  "  for  illegal  pewter,  and  in  1558, 
at  both  these  places,  fines  were  levied.  At  "  Saynt 
albones  "  was  "  taken  of  George  bate  of  alesbury  a 
sawcr."  The  second  fining  is  more  curious  still,  for 
at  f*  sturbridge  fayer  of  harry  Ratclyf  was  taken  a 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    4? 

platter  not  marked,  and  he  marched  in  company  wth 
a  french  woman." 

There  are  given  many  inventories,  taken  from  time 
to  time,  of  the  contents  of  the  Company's  Hall  and  of 
all  their  property.  These  are  extremely  interesting, 
but  very  long,  and  in  every  one  is  mentioned,  "  A 
Table  of  Pewter  wt  euery  man's  marke  therein." 

As  early  as  1552  it  was  customary  to  make  pewter 
covers  for  the  coarse  stone  pots  which  were  used  as 
drinking-vessels.  In  order  that  these  lids  should  come 
up  to  the  standard,  it  was  ordered  that — 

-"all  those  that  lyd  stone  pottes  should  set  their  own  marke  on 
.the  in  syde  of  the  lyd  &  to  bring  in  all  such  stone  pottes  in  to  the 
hall  wherby  they  maye  be  vewed  yf  they  be  workmanly  wrought  & 
so  be  markyd  wt  the  marck  of  the  hall  on  the  owt  syde  of  the 
Lyd.  Also  euery  one  that  makyth  such  stone  pottes  shall  make 
anew  marck  such  one  as  the  mr  and  wardens  shalbe  pleasid  wtall 
whereby  they  maye  be  known  from  this  daye  forward.  Theise 
pottes  to  be  brought  in  wekly  vpon  the  satterdaye  and  yf  the 
satterdaye  be  holly  daye  then  to  bring  them  in  vpon  the  ffrydaye. 
And  loke  who  dotd  the  contrary  shall  forfayte  for  euery  stone 
pott  so  duely  provyd  iiij  d.  in  mony  over  and  beseyde  the  forfayte 
of  all  such  pottes  as  be  not  brought  in  according  to  this 
artycle." 

The  payment  for  marking  these  pots  was  small,  for 
apparently  some  were  brought  to  the  Hall  for  marking. 

"  At  the  same  Courte  the  mr  Wardens  and  assystants  wth  the 
hole  clothing  hath  graunted  that  John  Curtys  shoulde  haue  ffor 
markyng  of  every  dosyn  of  stone  pottes  whosesoever  brought 
them  to  marck  one  ffarthing." 

The  rules  for  the  marking  of  wares  were  constantly 
before  the  Company,  and  many  were  the  fines  imposed. 
By  1564  the  rose  and  crown  had  become  so  important 


48  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

a  mark  that  the  following  regulation  concerning  its  use 
was  framed : 

"Also  it  is  agreed  that  euery  one  of  the  saide  felowship  that 
makith  any  warre  shall  set  his  owne  marke  theron.  And  that  no 
man  shall  gene  for  his  proper  marck  or  touch  the  Rose  and 
crown  wt  lettrs  nor  otherwise  but  only  to  whome  it  is  geuen  by 
the  felowship.  Nor  that  no  man  of  the  saide  craft  shall  geue  one 
anothers  marck  nother  wt  lettrs  nor  otherwise,  but  euery  one  to 
geue  a  sondry  marck  such  one  as  shalbe  alowed  by  the  maister 
and  wardens  for  the  tyme  beinge  vpon  payne  to  forfaite  and  paye 
for  euery  tyme  offendinge  to  the  Crafte's  boxe  xiij  s.  iiij  d." 

In  the  year  1592  it  was  ordered  by  the  court — 

i 

-"that  all  the  company  shall  set  ther  tuches  vppon  a  new  plat 
and  that  they  shall  paye  ii.d.  a  pece  and  one  penny  to  the  clarke 
ane  one  to  the  bedel." 

Pewter  was  by  this  time  pretty  generally  distributed 
over  the  kingdom,  and  where,  a  century  before,  it  had 
been  owned  chiefly  by  the  rich,  now  it  appears  in  the 
wills  of  the  middle  classes.  James  Flynt,  Jr.,  died  in 
1561,  at  "  ye  piche  of  Matloke "  (Derbyshire). 
Among  other  things  he  leaves — 

-"to  sonne  &  heyre  harry  my  gretest  brasse  pott,  a  greit  arke, 
a  greit  satt  &  Ironspytt,  and  a  greit  Dubler  of  Pewtr  &  Iron 
Crowe  and  a  mattocke." 

At  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  Harrison  wrote: 

"  Such  furniture  of  household  of  this  mettall,  as  we  com- 
monly call  by  the  name  of  vessell,  is  sold  usually  by  the  garnish 
which  doth  containe  12  platters,  12  dishes,  12  saucers  and  these 
are  either  of  silver  fashion,  or  else  with  brode  or  narrow  brims 
and  bought  by  the  pound,  which  is  now  valued  at  sevenpence  or 
peradventure  at  eightpence." 

The   court   took   into   its   hands   many   other   things 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    49 

besides  the  business  affairs  of  the  members.  Of  course 
this  was  true  of  the  other  guilds  as  well.  For  instance, 
it  was  set  down — 

— "tuchyng  how  that  all  howsholders  shall  governe  ther  ser- 
vauntes  and  howshold  accordyng  vnto  the  precept  sent  fro  my 
L  maier  dated  the  XXII  of  Apryll." 

In  order  to  keep  the  business  still  further  in  their 
own  hands,  and  suppress  the  sale  of  pewter  by  hawkers, 
the  whole  company  promised  at  this  court,  under  a 
penalty  of  five  pounds  for  default,  that  they  would 
serve  "  no  ware  to  any  man  who  they  knowe  to  be 
hawkers  or  mayntayners  of  hawkers." 

In  1602  the  Company  chose  to  make  an  example  of 
a  certain  "  John  frethene,"  who,  being  only  a  journey- 
man, still  bought  and  sold  as  a  householder,  even 
though  he  did  not  give  his  touch  to  the  Company  or 
ask  leave  to  open  a  shop.  For  these  offences  the  court 
fined  him  seventeen  shillings  on  four  counts,  and  took 
his  note  that  he  would  pay  the  fines  before  Candlemas. 

By  1663  there  were  so  many  pewterers  both  in  and 
out  of  London  that  it  became  necessary  to  keep  a 
sharp  lookout  on  the  touch-marks,  and  the  "  Genii 
Court "  ordered  "  that  all  tuches  bee  made  wth  the 
date  63  and  yt  they  bee  registered  in  a  boke  at  ye  hall 
wthin  a  month."  This  book  has  been  lost,  so  that 
unfortunately  the  only  touch-marks  are  those  which 
are  to  be  found  on  the  five  touch-plates  which  still 
remain  to  the  Company. 

The  Company,  under  the  supervision  of  the  master 
and  wardens,  continued  to  exercise  the  greatest  care 


So  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

that  the  wares  which  were  made  by  its  members  should 
be  of  standard  quality.  Severe  penalties  were  laid 
on  any  erring  brother  who  was  discovered :  he  was 
not  only  fined,  but  imprisoned,  brought  before  the 
Company,  and  made  to  confess  his  fault  and  to  pray 
for  leniency  that  he  might  become  a  member  once 
more,  and  to  bring  in  and  yield  up  his  old  touch,  and 
"  haue  for  his  tuch  a  duble  ff,"  which  meant  false 
ware.  Besides  all  these  penalties  already  mentioned, 
he  had  also  to  give  up  all  the  wares  which  he  had 
already  made  and  which  were  in  his  shop. 

The  Company  not  only  seized  the  false  ware  made 
in  England,  but  it  also  exercised  control  over  all  that 
was  sold, — in  London  at  least.  In  1656  the  court 
ordered  that  all  the  ware  seized  should  be  melted 
"  downe  and  Sould  for  Lay  except  the  frenchmans 
ware  and  ye  dutch  ware  and  Marsh  ware."  Although 
the  maker  of  inferior  ware  was  always  obliged  to 
change  his  "  tuch,"  the  terrible  "  ff  "  was  not  always 
the  punishment.  Sometimes  a  knot  was  ordered  to 
be  added  to  the  old  touch,  and  sometimes  the  offender 
had  to  take  an  entirely  new  device.  On  other  occa- 
sions the  fraudulent  makers  were  obliged  to  add  the 
year  to  their  touch-mark,  so  that  it  "  maie  be  knowne 
whoe  were  the  offenders  therein." 

No  member  of  the  Company  was  allowed  to  have 
more  than  one  mark  at  a  time ;  and  if  the  mark  was  too 
large  to  be  conveniently  put  on  small  pieces,  then  the 
pewterer  was  allowed  to  have  a  smaller  copy  of  his 
great  mark  made,  but  he  had  to  leave  the  impressions 
of  both  marks  with  the  Company.  When  a  man 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    Si 

bought  out  the  business  of  another,  by  the  permission 
of  the  court  he  was  allowed  to  use  the  first  man's  touch, 
provided  he  had  his  permission  also.  At  one  time  the 
members  of  the  Company  got  into  trouble  by  stamping 
their  ware  with  the  mark  of  the  Goldsmiths'  Company, 
and  rules  were  duly  framed  to  meet  this  need. 

We  often  hear  the  term  "  silver  pewter,"  used  no 
doubt  with  a  view  to  enhancing  the  value  of  the  object, 
but  it  is  hardly  likely  that  a  metal  like  tin  should  be 
mixed  with  silver.  Of  itself,  tin  is  extremely  brittle, 
and  to  add  silver  enough  to  give  it  any  value  would 
be  but  to  increase  this  quality.  Sebaldus  Ruprech.t, 
working  in  the  fourteenth  century,  made  himself  and 
his  wares  famous,  because  they  so  closely  resembled 
silver,  while  another  German,  Melchior  Koch,  had  a 
process  by  which  he  made  his  pewter  look  like  pure 
gold.  Such  workers  as  these  caused  the  Goldsmiths' 
Company  to  become  uneasy,  and  in  1579  they  secured 
an  enactment  that  no  pewterer  should  work  in  any 
metal  but  pewter,  binding  themselves  at  the  same  time 
not  to  work  in  that  metal  themselves.  They  had  made 
a  similar  regulation  in  Paris  as  early  as  1545,  and  in 
Nuremberg  in  1579,  the  same  year  as  in  England. 

A  Major  Purling  invented  in  1652  an  alloy  which 
he  called  "  Silvorum,"  but  the  Pewterers'  Company 
would  have  none  of  it,  and  would  not  consent  to  allow 
one  of  their  members  to  work  with  its  inventor.  The 
Company  also  prohibited  Lawrence  Dyer  from  selling 
"  untoucht  ware,  and  making  of  false  plat  called 
Silvorum,  the  which  ware  is  ceased  and  detayned  by 
the  Company." 


52          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

The  order  not  to  use  the  word  "  London  "  on  the 
touch  of  any  maker  was  issued  in  1676.  This  was 
modified  by  1690,  and  it  was  agreed  that  a  member 
might  add  the  word  "  London  "  to  his  touch  in  addi- 
tion to  the  rose  and  crown,  and  to  the  letter  "  X," 
denoting  extraordinary  ware. 

Country  pewterers  had  the  bad  habit  of  adding  the 
word  "  London  "  to  the  stamp  of  their  own  name,  and 
as  their  wares  often  did  not  come  up  to  the  standard 
demanded  by  the  Company  there  were  many  com- 
plaints. Although  this  practice  gave  the  Company 
much  trouble,  and  came  before  it  from  time  to  time  for 
a  hundred  years,  the  matter  was  finally  dropped  in 
1740,  when  a  committee  which  had  been  appointed  to 
investigate  reported  that  nothing  could  be  done  to  pre- 
vent country  pewterers  from  striking  "  London  "  or 
"  Made  in  London  "  on  their  ware,  without  application 
to  Parliament. 

Just  about  this  time  a  protest  was  sent  over  from 
Philadelphia  that  the  "  Guinea  Basons  "  sent  from  the 
city  of  Bristol  to  America  were  of  inferior  quality, 
and  some  redress  was  demanded. 

Another  source  of  trouble  to  the  pewterers  came 
from  the  "  Crooked  Lane  "  men,  the  name  of  whose 
.place  of  business  was  indicative  of  their  methods. 
Whether  in  some  underhand  way  they  imported  ves- 
sels of  inferior  metal,  or  whether  they  themselves  made 
some  kind  of  tin  ware,  is  not  now  known;  but  that 
they  were  a  serious  annoyance  to  the  craft  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  £50  (a  large  sum  in  1634)  was 
paid  for  the— 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    53 

-"suppressing  of  the  excesse  and  abusive  making  of  Crooked 
Lane  ware,  whereby  the  so  doing  and  counterfeiting  of  the  reall 
commodity  of  Tynn  is  to  the  greate  deceit  or  wrong  of  his 
Ma'ties  subjects." 

Although  the  Crooked  Lane  men  tried  to  get  a  charter 
for  their  goods  in  1669,  nothing  seems  to  have  come 
of  it. 

While  it  was  obligatory  that  each  maker  should 
place  his  name  on  his  ware,  it  was  not  necessary  that 
he  should  put  on  the  rose  and  crown.  In  some  cases 
certain  articles  were  stamped  with  certain  marks;  as, 
for  instance,  the  pewter  lids  of  drinking-pots,  which 
it  was  ordered  should  have  on  them  a  Heur-de-lys. 
This  rule  had  been  in  order  since  1548. 

There  were  very  definite  regulations  as  to  what 
the  standard  weight  of  pewter  vessels  should  be.  I 
give  the  "  new  table,"  which  was  made  April  14,  1673, 
since  it  most  nearly  approximates  the  time  which 
would  be  of  peculiar  interest  to  us  in  America. 

DISHES,  15  sizes  from  20  Ib.  to  one  half  pound  weight,  weights 
as  implied  in  their  description,  i.e.,  a  20  Ib.  dish  to  weigh 
20  Ib.,  and  so  on. 

PLATES,  ii  Ib.,  each  dozen  15-}  Ib. ;  i  Ib.,  each  dozen  13  Ib. ; 
£  Ib.,  each  dozen  10  Ib. 

GUINIE  BASONS,  6  sizes  from  4  Ib.  to  i  Ib.  weights  as  de- 
scribed. 

BEDD  PANNS,  great  4*  Ib.,  middle  3i  Ib.,  small  3  Ib. 

LAVERS,  great  5  Ib.,  middle  4  Ib.,  small  3  Ib. 

FLAGGONS,  great  pottle  8  Ib.,  small  pottle  6  Ib.,  three  pint  4 
Ib.,  quart  3  Ib. 

EFRAM  and  other  Potts,  three  quart  4*  Ib.,  two  quart  3  Ib. 
2  oz.,  three  pint  2  Ib.  2  oz.,  quart  i  Ib.  10  oz.,  pint  I  Ib.  2 
oz.,  half  pint  I  Ib. 

WINCHESTER  QUART,  each  shall  weigh  ii  Ib. 


54  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

GUINEY  POTTS  OR  TUNN  PINTES,  each  dozen  12  Ib. 

LONG  AND  SHORT  CANN,  each  I  Ib. 

NEW  FASHIONED  TANKARDS,  great  quart  2!  Ib.,  small  quart  2 

Ib.,  four  inches  if  Ib.,  pint  ii  Ib.,  ordinary  four  inches  I  Ib. 

6  oz. 

STOOLE  PANS,  5  Ib.  4  Ib.  3  Ib.  2\  Ib.  of  same  weight. 
FRENCH  AND  SQUARE  CANDLESTICKS,  great,  middle,  small,  smallest, 

5*  ib.,  4^  Ib.,  3$  Ib.,  2i  Ib.,  each  pair. 
FLAT    CANDLESTICKS,    great,    middle,     round,     smallest,    4^    Ib., 

Z\  Ib.,  2i  Ib.,  \\  Ib.,  each  pair. 
BELL  CANDLESTICKS,  i  Ib.,  I  Ib.  to  weigh  2}  Ib.,  \\  Ib.  each  pair. 

PORRENGERS. 

Great  pints,  each  dozen  9  Ib. ;  small  pints  each  dozen  7i  Ib. 

Bosse,  six  sizes  varying  in  weight  each  dozen  from  7  Ib.  to  2  Ib. 

Ordinary  blood  porrengers,  each  dozen  \\  Ib. 

Guinney,  each  dozen  3*  Ib. 

Great  corded,  middle,  small,  each  dozen  respectively  9  Ib.,  8  Ib., 
6i  Ib. 

SAWCERS. 

Slight,  great  per  gross  22  Ib.,  small  per  gross  14  Ib. 

New  fashioned  swaged;  great,  middle,  small,  each  dozen  re- 
spectively 7  Ib.,  5  Ib.,  4  Ib. 

LAY. 

Wine  measures ;  gallon  10  Ib.,  pottle  6  Ib.,  quart  3  Ib.,  pint  2  Ib., 
half  pint  I  Ib.,  quarter  pint  8  Ib.  each  dozen,  half  quarter  pint 
4  Ib.  each  dozen. 

STILL  HEADS,  being  9,  10,  n,  12,  inches  at  bottom  to  weigh 
9,  10,  n,  12  Ib.,  13  inches  15  Ib.,  14  inches  17  Ib. 

AND   it  is   by  this   Court   further   Ordered   that  the  weight   of 

STANDISHES  shall  be  as  followeth  (vist)  : 

GREAT  water  large  with  Lyons  2i  Ib.,  great  Water  plaine  2  Ib., 
middle  Water  wth  Lyons  2  Ib.,  middle  water  plaine  I  Ib.  10 
oz.,  Small  water  wth  Lyons  if  Ib.,  Small  water  plaine  I  Ib. 
6  oz.,  Long  Till  with  Lyons  I  Ib.  6  oz.,  Long  Till  plaine  I  Ib., 
Round  Water  wth  Lyons  I  Ib.,  Round  Water  plaine  I  Ib. 

Merchants  who  sold  these  vessels  were  to  charge  four- 
pence  more  than  cost  price,  and  transportation,  except 
for  some  special  objects  like  "  guinney  basons." 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    55 

Admission  to  the  Company  of  Pewterers  and  per- 
mission to  follow  the  trade  was  by  no  means  the 
simple  thing  it  seems.  There  were  only  two  ways  by 
which  a  would-be  pewterer  could  gain  a  foothold  in 
the  body, — by  serving  his  time  as  an  apprentice  with 
a  member  of  the  craft,  or  by  patrimony.  In  1688  two 
men  applied  for  the  freedom  of  the  Company  and  were 
denied,  although  one  of  them  had  a  brother  who  was 
a  member,  and  the  other  conducted  the  business  for 
a  relative  whose  death  had  left  it  in  his  hands.  This 
latter  man,  a  merchant  tailor  by  trade,  though  he  had 
gained  "  competent  skill "  in  the  trade  of  pewterer,  was 
not  allowed  to  become  a  trader  "  upon  any  terms  what- 
soever." At  this  same  time  one  Geffers,  a  "  Free 
pewterer  of  Corke  who  had  fled  thence  from  danger 
of  his  life  through  persecution,  prayed  Leave  to  work 
or  be  releived."  The  Company  would  not  allow  him 
to  work,  but  granted  him  twenty  shillings  in  relief. 
Another  case  was  that  of  a  French  pewterer  who  had 
suffered  so  much  for  his  religion  that  he  had  barely 
escaped  from  France  with  his  life  and  had  lost  all  his 
property.  He  prayed  to  be  allowed  to  continue  his 
work,  but  was  permitted  only  to  do  so  "privately  in 
his  own  chamber,"  and  that  but  for  the  space  of  a 
few  months. 

The  practice  of  putting  the  address  of  one's  shop 
or  place  of  business  on  the  ware  was  much  frowned 
upon  at  first,  and  it  was  not  allowed  to  be  placed  on 
the  ware  at  all.  Indeed  you  might  not  even  extol  the 
quality  of  your  own  ware,  and  in  1590  there  appears 
this  entry  in  the  books:  "A  fyne  of  Richard  Staple 


56          OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,     ETC. 

ffor  boastyng  his  wares  to  be  better  than  the  other 
metis,  iij  s.  iiij  d."  Nor  was  it  allowed  to  disperse 
"  tickets,"  with  name  and  abode  on  them,  about  the 
city,  and  in  1690  one  Robert  Lock  was  reprimanded 
for  so  doing,  but  denied  the  charge. 

By  the  eighteenth  century  the  members  of  the  Com- 
pany were  divided  into  three  classes :  the  Livery  or 
Clothing  men, — "  brotheren  that  paien  quarterege  "  ; 
the  Yeomanry  or  Freemen,  that  were  not  "  brotheren," 
but  paid  quarterage  all  the  same;  and  the  Covenant 
men  or  Apprentices,  who  served  the  second  class,  who 
were  their  masters.  The  lot  of  the  apprentices 
was  by  no  means  one  of  ease,  for  they  were  liable  to 
be  punished  by  being  put  in  the  stocks  or  kept  in  the 
pillory  all  the  market  time.  They  were  not  allowed 
to  be  absent  from  work,  nor  to  take  part  "  at  any 
unlawful  game  as  dising  bowling  and  Carding."  If 
they  did,  and  were  caught,  they  were  brought  before 
the  Lord  Mayor,  who  could  mete  out  such  punishment 
as  he  deemed  proper.  They  were  obliged  to  attend 
church  with  their  masters,  and  to  have  their  hair  cut, 
not  being  allowed  to  "  weare  unseemly  haire  not  befit- 
ting an  apprentice";  and  in  1572  a  proclamation  was 
issued  "tendinge  to  the  reformacion  of  the  greate  abuse 
latelie  practized  by  Apprentizes  in  excesse  of  appar- 
raile."  This  was  some  of  the  rulings  of  "  Good  Queen 
Bess,"  who  would  not  allow  the  wearing  of  "  ye 
Ruffes  "  by  her  subjects  except  in  such  widths  as  she 
deemed  proper.  Her  own  ruffs,  of  finest  lawn  and 
lace,  stiffened  with  "  devil's  broth,"  as  starch  was 
called,  and  held  out  with  underproppers  of  wire,  were 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    57 

as  extravagant  as  fancy  could  devise.  They  swelled 
with  the  "  proper  arch  of  pride,"  and  encircled  her 
auburn  head  like  a  halo,  but  all  city  folk,  even  the 
clergy,  had  to  conform  to  the  width  of  ruff  she  deemed 
proper  for  them,  and  such  as  offended  were  likely  to 
have  the  objectionable  ruff  measured  by  the  guard  and 
its  superfluity  lopped  off. 

The  apprentices  were  punished  for  purchasing  metal 
privately,  for  refusing  to  work  for  former  masters, 
for  making  any  articles  "  free,"  and  they  were  not 
permitted  to  receive  wages.  They  were  also  expected 
to  serve  as  "  whifflers  "  at  pageants  and  processions, — 
that  is,  they  had  to  run  ahead  and  keep  the  way  clear ; 
and  they  served  at  banquets ;  so,  as  may  be  seen,  their 
position  was  hardly  enviable. 

The  members  of  the  craft  brought  into  the  trea- 
sury generous  sums  from  the  renting  of  their  pewter 
plate.  A  "  garnish  "  was  a  small  supply, — a  dozen 
each  of  platters,  plates,  and  small  plates;  and  there 
were  not  many  households  which  owned  more,  so 
"  feast  vessels "  were  often  rented.  The  members 
became  too  free  in  borrowing  the  Company  plate,  for 
in  1656  this  rule  was  laid  down: 

"  It  is  ordered  that  the  pewter  of  the  Hall  shall  not  bee  lent 
to  any  of  the  Membrs  of  this  Company  or  to  any  but  vpon 
Spctial  occasion  for  his  or  there  pticular  vses  as  r~  case  of  wed- 
ding or  other  grand  occasion  of  their  one,  nor  then  neither 
wthout  Spetill  lisence  of  the  Mastr  and  wardens  first  had  been 
obtayned." 

No  new  pewter  was  rented  out,  but  only  that  which 
had  been  in  use.  Even  royalty  was  not  above  renting 


58  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

it  in  their  need,  and  all  the  city  companies  owned  more 
or  less,  which  they  were  as  ready  to  rent  as  the  Pew- 
terers  themselves.  At  Queen  Anne's  coronation  feast 
much  pewter  was  used,  and  the  tale  has  come  down 
that  quantities  of  it  were  stolen. 

From  time  to  time  we  find  records  of  large  stocks 
of  private  pewter,  and  some  of  them  very  early  too. 
Edward  I  had  more  than  three  hundred  pieces  in  his 
own  use.  The  Universities  of  Cambridge  and  Oxford 
had  services  and  cups  of  pewter  as  early  as  1470,  but 
it  is  nearly  all  gone  now,  silver  plate  having  taken  its 
place. 

Drinking-vessels,  whether  in  the  form  of  beakers, 
mugs,  tankards,  or  earthen  pots  with  lids  of  pewter, 
early  formed  an  important  part  of  the  pewterers' 
trade.  Harrison,  in  his  "  Description  of  England," 
says: 

"  As  for  drinke  it  is  ustiallie  filled  in  pots,  gobblets,  jugs,  bols 
of  silver  in  noblemens  houses,  also  in  fine  Venice  glasses  of  all 
formes,  and  for  want  of  these,  elsewhere,  in  pots  of  earth  of  stm- 
drie  colours  and  moulds,  whereof  manie  are  garnished  with 
silver,  or  at  the  leastwise  in  pewter." 

The  Pewterers'  Company  wished  to  control  the 
trade  with  regard  to  taverns,  and  the  weight  of  pots, 
pottle  pots,  and  tankards  was  definitely  decided  upon. 
To  show  that  the  Company  had  more  than  the  silver- 
smiths to  contend  with,  I  quote  from  Heywood's 
"  Philocothonista,"  published  in  1635,  in  which  he 
speaks  of  the  cups  then  in  use : 

"Of  drinking  cups  divers  and  sundry  sorts  we  have;  some  of 
elme,  some  of  box,  some  of  maple,  some  of  holly,  etc.,  maziers, 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     59 

broad-mouthed  dishes,  noggins,  whiskins,  piggins,  crinzes,  ale- 
bowls,  wassell-bowls,  court-dishes,  tankards,  Cannes,  from  a  pottle 
to  a  pint,  from  a  pint  to  a  gill.  Other  bottles  we  have  of  leather, 
but  they  are  most  used  among  the  shepherds  and  harvest  people 
of  the  country.  Small  Jacks  we  have  in  many  of  the  ale-houses 
of  the  cities  and  suburbs,  tipt  with  silver,  besides  the  great  black 
jacks  and  bombards  at  the  court,  which  when  the  Frenchmen  first 
saw  they  reported  at  their  return  into  their  own  country,  that  the 
Englishmen  used  to  drink  out  of  their  bootes.  We  have  besides 
cups  made  of  the  homes  of  beasts,  of  the  eggs  of  ostriches,  others 
made  of  the  shells  of  divers  fishes  brought  from  the  Indes  and 
other  places,  and  shining  like  mother  of  pearl.  Come  to  plate, 
every  taverne  can  afford  you  flat  bowles,  French  bowles,  prounet 
bowles,  beare  bowels,  beakers;  and  private  house-holders  in  the 
citie  when  they  make  a  feast  to  entertaine  their  friends  can  fur- 
nish their  cupboards  with  flagons,  tankards,  biere-cups,  wine- 
bowles,  some  white,  some  parcell  gilt,  some  gilt  all  over,  some 
with  covers,  others  without  of  sundry  shapes  and  sizes." 

Although  our  author  does  not  mention  pewter  in  all 
this  list,  it  is  very  certain  that  most  of  the  tavern  ware 
was  of  this  useful  metal.  The  weight  of  a  pottle  pot, 
which  was  one  that  held  two  quarts,  was  to  be  seven 
and  a  half  pounds,  and  the  others  in  proportion.  Per- 
haps no  articles  made  by  the  Company  were  so  rigor- 
ously made  to  conform  to  the  standard  as  these  same 
tavern  measures,  and  severe  fines  were  inflicted  when 
its  members  offended,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  follow- 
ing regulation: 

"Also  it  is  agreed  that  none  of  the  felowship  shall  make  any 
tankerd  quarte  nor  tankerd  pinte  nor  sell  of  those  kynd  of  potte 
for  any  mony  or  otherwise  but  only  the  therdendale  and  half  ther- 
dendale  accordinge  to  the  Lawes  and  constitucion  of  this  Citie. 
And  also  the  pot  called  the  brode  pynt  And  that  no  holowaremen 
shall  make  any  potte  of  Just  quarte  or  pynte  for  ale  and  beare 
measure  but  only  the  stope  pottell  the  great  stope  quart  and  the 
great  stope  pynt,  and  the  great  pynt  with  the  Brode  Bottam  the 


60  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

greate  English  pottell  the  greate  English  quarte  and  the  great 
Knijlish  pynt  and  none  other.  And  as  for  taverne  ware  to  make 
them  according  to  the  assice  and  as  by  example  remaynyng  in 
o\vre  hall  And  who  so  ener  offendeth  to  the  contrary  and  true 
meanyng  heareof  shalbe  comitted  to  the  warde  there  to  remayne 
vntil  he  haue  paide  xl  s.  for  enery  tyme  offending  the  one  moitie 
of  which  forfaiture  to  be  to  the  Chaumbrlayne  of  london  and  the 
other  moitie  to  the  Crafte  boxe." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  was 
found  that  measures  were  being  made  which  did  not 
conform  to  the  standard  agreed  upon,  and  the  man 
who  made  them  was  thereupon  disciplined,  as  it  was 
ordered — 

— "  that  from  hence  furthe,  Roger  Hawkesforde,  shall  not  make 
any  moe  wyne  pottes,  wherebie  to  sell  or  vtter  the  same,  of  that 
molde  or  fasshion,  nowe  at  this  presente  daie,  shewed,  before  the 
maister,  Wardeins,  and  assistannces,  for  that  by  there  greate 
breadthe  in  the  mouthe  and  shortness,  throughonte,  there  ap- 
pearethe,  a  manifeste  deceite  in  measure,  to  all  other  the  queenes 
maiesties,  subiectes,  receyvinge  wyne,  by  suche  their  saide  cur- 
tailed, and  uniuste  measure." 

In  the  next  year  (1575)  an  offender  was  still  more 
severely  dealt  with,  as  he  made  pots  of  ley  metal.  On 
account  of  his  humble  subjection  he  was  excused  this 
time,  but  warned  that  on  the  second  offence  he  should 
be  expelled  from  the  Company  for  ever,  and,  as  it 
was,  he  was  obliged  to  give  up  his  touch  and  was  given 
a  new  one. 

There  were  constant  alterations  in  the  making  of 
tavern  ware,  and  by  1638  there  were  so  many  dif- 
ferent kinds  in  use  that  the  Pewterers'  Company  drew 
up  a  petition  to  the  king  concerning  the  matter. 


Fig.  19.     PEWTER   GROUP 
4,  5,   Tea  Service  Formerly  Belonging  to  Sir  Walter  Scott 

6,  7,   Tumblers 
8,  9,   Toddy  and  Soup  Ladles 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    61 

"  Certaine  Articles  or  propositions  were  read  [December  12, 
1638]  wch  are  desired  to  be  propounded  to  his  Matie,  and  ye 
same  by  his  Gracious  pleasure  to  be  graunted.  The  whch  were 
all  well  liked  by  the  Genii  Comp. 

ist.  That  ye  Measures  for  Beare,  Ale,  Milke,  and  ye  like  be 
of  pewter  and  sealed  according  to  a  statute  in  ye  case  prouided. 

2d.  That  noe  Candlesticks,  Pye  Plates,  Pie  Coffins,  chamber 
potts,  Pastie  platts,  potts,  or  other  dishes  be  made  of  white 
plate  whch  doth  hinder  ye  consumption  of  Tynne. 

3d.  That  all  forragn  Ware,  from  ffrance,  Holland,  etc.,  be 
prohibited. 

4th.  That  ye  Comp.  of  Pewterers  of  London  may  have  power 
and  Authoretie  to  search  and  sease  all  falce  mettal  and  wares 
in  Ireland  and  Scotland,  according  as  in  England  is  Prouided  by 
Statute." 

The  "  pie  coffins  "  referred  to  were  moulds  in  which 
pies  were  baked,  and  the  "  white  metal "  which  they 
desired  suppressed  was  silver.  All  the  time  new  ves- 
sels were  coming  into  use,  and  the  struggles  which  the 
pewterers  made  to  keep  their  wares  well  to  the  front 
were  unceasing.  The  use  and  sale  of  liquor  was  grow- 
ing more  and  more,  and  at  last  the  Company  informed 
the  Court  that  "  there  was  a  great  increase  of  Muggs 
made  of  Earth  and  a  Mark  impressed  thereon  in 
imitacon  of  Sealed  Measures  to  sell  liquid  Comoclities 
in."  This  was  about  1702,  when  the  pottery  Bellar- 
mines  were  beginning  to  be  freely  made,  and  the  Elers 
Brothers  were  potting  too,  and  ware  was  being 
brought  into  England  by  every  ship  which  came  from 
the  Orient. 

There  were  also  what  were  called  "knot  bowls," 
and  "  mazer  bowls,"  these  latter  being  drinking-bowls 
made  from  maple-wood  (the  old  name  of  maple  being 
"mazer"),  and  these  were  bound  or  tipped  with 


62  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

silver  or  pewter,  and  indeed  were  frequently  lined 
with  these  metals.  I  know  of  one  such  bowl,  bound 
with  silver  and  standing  on  delicate  little  legs,  which 
was  the  property  of  a  wealthy  Dutch  fvrow  in  Sche- 
nectady  in  1736.  It  has  come  down  through  various 
members  of  the  family,  together  with  some  of  her 
silver,  and  makes  a  much-treasured  heirloom. 

At  an  auction  sale  in  London  in  1905  one  of  these 
mazer  bowls,  which  dated  from  the  seventeenth 
century,  was  sold  for  several  thousand  dollars,  many 
collectors  being  anxious  to  secure  it. 

Besides  the  mugs  which  are  so  .constantly  spoken 
of,  there  were  beakers  and  tankards.  The  former  was 
a  drinking-vessel  generally  without  handles,  small  at 
the  bottom,  and  sloping  outward  at  the  top.  These 
are  found  in  inventories  at  the  very  beginning  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  In  England  at  the  present  day 
one  will  be  more  likely  to  find  them  in  the  collector's 
cabinet  than  among  the  heirlooms  of  great  people  or 
even  among  the  treasures  of  corporations.  These  are 
the  beakers  of  English  make,  for  it  is  much  easier 
to  find  those  of  Dutch  origin  or  from  the  countries  of 
northern  Europe. 

Dr.  Johnson  suggests  that  the  origin  of  the  name 
was  "  beak,"  and  defined  the  "  beaker "  as  "  a  cup 
with  a  spout  in  the  form  of  a  bird's  beak."  Other 
authorities  say  that  it  was  a  kind  of  vessel  derived 
from  Flanders  or  Germany,  without  fixing  its  shape ; 
and  Forby  claims  to  trace  it  to  the  Saxon  "  bece  " 
(beech), — " ordinary  drinking-vessels  being  made  oi 
beech-wood."  De  Laborde  gets  the  English  word 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     63 

"  byker  "  from  the  French  word  buket,  giving  as  his 
authorities  the  cases  where  the  latter  is  used  to  mean 
a  holy-water  bucket  or  a  large  cup  with  a  cover. 

In  Scotland  the  beaker  seemed  to  be  a  favourite 
form  of  communion-cup  in  the  seventeenth  century. 
Some  early  references  are  as  follows : 

'1346. — "  ciphtim    meum   biker   argenti." — From   the    will    of   a 

canon  of  York. 
1348. —  "Bikers,    cups    intended    for   ladies." — Memorials    of    the 

Order  of  the  Garter,  by  Beltz. 
1399. —  "Two  bikers  of  silver  gilt,  29  oz.,  one  other  biker  gilt,  16 

oz. —  From  the  list  of  a  jeweller's  stock  in  Cheapside. 
1625. — "One   white    beaker." — From   the    inventory   of   Edward 

Waring  of  Lea,  Esq." 

These  references  are  to  utensils  of  silver,  but  beakers 
were  made  of  pewter  as  well,  and  in  some  cases  it 
was  sought  to  conceal  the  nature  of  the  metal  with 
paint.  In  1622  a  search  was  conducted  at  Lambeth 
Marsh,  where  were  found  "  divers  peece  of  painted 
pewter  "  of  bad  workmanship.  They  were  taken  from 
two  "  aliens,"  John  Heath  and  Anthony  Longsay,  and 
the  pieces  are  referred  to  in  the  following  manner : 

"  i  great  BeaKcr  pte  white  marked  wth  the  Starre.     Starton." 

"Afterwards    in    Bedlam,    in    the    house    of  Paull    Dickenson, 

Heath     and     Longsays     ptner     weare     some  smallest    paynted 

beakers  and  salts." 

Tankards,  on  the  contrary,  were  large  at  the  base 
and  sloped  up  to  a  smaller  mouth,  and  had  handles  and 
lids.  This  was  the  commonest  type,  but  there  were 
also  tankards  with  straight  sides  and  with  bowl-shaped 
bodies.  On  the  handles  of  many  tankards  are  to  be 


64  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

found  whistles.  These  date  from  Jacobean  times,  and 
were  used  to  summon  the  drawer  when  "  fresh  drinks 
all  round  "  were  wanted  by  the  company.  Little  by 
little  the  whistles  fell  into  disuse,  but  the  tankard- 
makers  kept  on  in  their  old  fashion  and  made  the 
handles  of  just  the  same  shape.  There  were  also 
"  puzzle "  handles  for  the  confusion  of  a  green 
customer.  If  he  failed  to  put  his  finger  over  a  hole, 
the  liquor  either  failed  to  come  out,  or  spilled  over,  or 
did  some  other  unexpected  thing  which  tended  to  his 
confusion  and  to  the  mirth  of  the  company,  which 
was  always  alive  to  all  species  of  horse-play  and  con- 
sidered the  stranger  fair  game. 

Before  the  days  of  individual  cups  of  all  kinds  it 
was  the  custom  to  pass  among  the  company  the  cup 
which  cheered  as  well  as  inebriated,  and  there  was 
difficulty  in  so  arranging  that  each  guest  should  have 
his  due  share  and  no  more.  This  was  finally  obviated 
by  having,  in  the  inside  of  the  cup,  pegs  or  marks  upon 
the  side,  so  that  each  drinker  could  tell  how  much  was 
his  portion,  and  the  company  looked  to  it  that  each 
one  drank  fair.  The  correctness  of  the  use  of  the 
word  "  tankard  "  as  referring  to  a  drinking-vessel  is 
seldom  questioned,  but  Mr.  Cripps,  in  his  interesting 
volume  on  "Old  English  Plate,"  shows  a  different 
origin. 

"The  use  of  the  word  'tankard'  in  its  now  familiar  sense  of  b 
large  drinking-vessel  with  a  cover  and  a  handle  is  of  com- 
paratively modern  introduction.  No  article  of  plate  is  called 
by  that  name  in  any  of  the  volumes  of  wills  and  inventories  pub- 
lished by  the  Surtees  Society,  which  carry  us  to  the  year  1600 
The  word  seems  to  first  occur  in  this  sense  about  1575,  and  from 


Fig.  20.     ENGLISH  PEWTER 
Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  Barry 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    65 

that  time  is  constantly  applied  to  the  vessels  that  have  been  ever 
since  known  as  tankards.1 

"  In  earlier  days  it  was  used  for  the  wooden  tubs  bound  with 
iron,  and  containing  some  three  gallons,  in  which  water  was 
carried.  The  men  who  fetched  the  water  from  the  conduits  in 
London  were  called  '  tankard  bearers,'  and  in  a  Coroner's  Roll  of 
1276,  for  the  ward  of  Castle  Bayard,  tankards  are  mentioned  as 
the  vessels  they  bore.  This  roll  sets  forth  that  one  Greene,  a 
water-carrier,  who  had  come  to  St.  Paul's  Wharf,  '  cu  quodam 
tancardo,'  intending  to  take  up  water  with  it,  entered  a  boat 
there,  and,  after  filling  the  tankard,  attempted  to  place  it  on  the 
wharf,  but  the  weight  of  the  water  in  the  tankard  making  the 
boat  move  away  as  he  was  standing  on  its  board,  he  fell  into 
the  water  between  the  boat  and  the  wharf,  and  was  drowned,  as 
the  coroner  found,  by  misadventure. 

"  Again,  in  1337,  the  keepers  of  the  conduits  received  a  sum  of 
money  for  rents  '  for  tynes  and  tankards/  thereat ;  and  in  1350 
a  house  is  hired  for  one  year  at  IDS.  to  put  the  tankards  in, — les 
tanqucrs, — and  two  irons  were  bought  for  stamping  them. 

"  Similar  utensils  are  found  in  farming  accounts  of  the  same 
period.  In  1294  at  Framlingham,  Suffolk  Co.,  the  binding  with 
iron  of  thirteen  tankards  cost  35.,  and  six  years  later  a  three- 
gallon  iron-bound  tankard  is  priced  in  Cambridge  at  is.  At 
Leatherhead  a  two-gallon  tankard  is  valued  at  2d.  in  1338,  and 
two  such  vessels  at  Eltham  together  cost  4d.  in  1364." 

Yet  even  in  the  sixteenth  century  the  word  "  tankard  " 
was  not  exclusively  applied  to  a  drinking-vessel,  for 
in  1567,  in  a  church  account,  I  find  a  notice  of 
"lether"  tankards,  which  had  nothing  to  do  with 
drinking-cups,  for  these  objects  were  used  as  fire- 
buckets.  There  is  still  another  application  of  the  word 
to  be  found  in  a  churchwarden's  inventory  of  about  the 
same  period  (1566),  in  which  he  mentions  "a  penny 
1  Mr.  Cripps  is  hardly  correct  here,  for  "  tankard  pots  "  were 
frequently  mentioned  in  the  Pewterers'  Company's  records  as 
early  as  1480,  nearly  one  hundred  years  before  the  time  given  by 
him. 


66  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

tanckard  of  wood  used  as  a  holy- water  stock."  Some- 
times, even  in  the  seventeenth  century,  tankards  appear 
in  the  inventories  of  household  goods  among  the 
kitchen  utensils,  as  "  two  tankards  and  one  payle," 
and  this  was  as  late  as  1625. 

However,  the  transference  of  the  word  used  to 
express  a  water-tub,  to  a  small  vessel  for  holding 
liquid,  does  not  seem  at  all  out  of  the  way,  and  is  so 
entirely  natural  that  the  work  of  many  learned  doctors 
in  tracing  the  word  from  other  derivations  appears 
most  far-fetched.  For  example : 

"  Duchat  and  Thomas  would  bothe  derive  'tankard '  from 
'tin-quart,'  and  Dr.  Thomas  Henshaw  from  the  twang  or  sound 
the  lid  makes  on  shutting  it  down ;  but  after  all,  if  tank  is  de- 
rived, as  it  surely  is,  from  the  French  estang,  a  pond  or  pool,  it  is 
not  necessary  to  go  further  for  a  derivation  of  the  name  of  a 
vessel  which  was  originally  intended  to  hold  water,  than  to  con- 
nect it  with  tank,  and  derive  it  from  the  same  source." 

Johnson's  Dictionary  describes  a  tankard  as  "  a  large 
vessel  for  strong  drink,"  and  cites  Ben  Jonson  :  "  Hath 
his  tankard  touched  your  brain  ?  " 

Another  form  of  drinking-vessel  which  I  have  fre- 
quently found  in  this  country  is  called  a  "  noggin," 
and  is  often  in  pewter;  indeed,  I  have  never  found  it 
in  any  other  metal.  It  holds  a  gill,  and  quite  a  num- 
ber of  them  may  be  seen  in  the  large  group  depicted 
in  Figure  19.  They  look  something  like  egg-cups. 
The  word  "  noggin  "  is  an  old  one,  and  is  said  to  be 
derived  from  the  Irish  word  noigen,  or  the  Gaelic 
noigean,  and  the  cup  has  long  been  in  use  among  the 
peasantry  in  the  English  country  districts.  There 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    67 

are  some  of  these  noggins  at  the  Essex  Institute, 
Salem,  Mass.,  where,  among  a  large  collection  of  pew- 
ter, there  are  some  interesting  specimens.  Before 
leaving  the  group  in  Figure  19,  which  has  some  pieces 
of  early  Britannia  ware  as  well  as  pewter,  notably  the 
tea-set  which  belonged  to  Sir  Walter  Scott,  I  would 
call  attention  to  the  different  tankards,  many  of  them 
of  an  early  type. 

Among  other  drinking-cups  of  some  centuries  ago 
were  what  we  should  call  "  loving-cups,"  but  which 
were  really  caudle-cups,  posset-cups,  or  posnets.  They 
had  two  handles,  were  often  provided  with  covers,  and 
sometimes  stood  on  trays  or  stands.  They  were  some- 
what pear-shaped,  swelling  into  larger  bowls  at  the 
base,  and  were  used  for  drinking  posset,  which  was 
milk  curdled  with  wine  and  other  additions.  The 
curd  floated  above  the  liquor,  and,  rising  into  the 
narrow  part  of  the  cup,  could  be  easily  removed,  leav- 
ing the  clear  fluid  at  the  bottom.  Their  fashion  differs 
slightly  with  their  date.  A  fine  specimen  is  shown  in 
Figure  20.  It  is  a  solid  piece,  and  is  marked  on  the 
outside  with  a  crown,  a  star,  and  the  word  "quart." 
The  dish  with  handles  beside  it  is  marked  "  Made  in 
London "  and  "  Hard  metal,"  though  there  is  no 
maker's  mark  on  it.  The  decoration  is  very  crude, 
a  sort  of  wriggled  work,  showing  a  boar's  head  in  a 
shield.  These  handles  are  movable,  and  are  very 
different  from  the  ears,  or  stiff  handles,  which  were 
common  on  dishes  and  bowls  at  this  time. 

In  Figure  21  are  depicted  what  we  in  America  are 
apt  to  call  porringers,  though  in  England  they  are 


68  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

variously  known  as  ear-dishes,  bowls,  bleeding-dishes, 
or  posnets,  as  well  as  porringers.  They  are  of 
extremely  ancient  make,  and  in  an  inventory  dated 
1537  they  are  spoken  of  as  "  counter!  ettes  or  pod- 
ingers,"  "  iij  counterfettes  therwise  called  podingers 
of  pewter,  whearof  on  is  olde."  These  little  bowls 
are  strongly  made,  generally  have  large  ears  or  handles 
of  punched  work,  and  are  said  to  be  of  Dutch  origin. 
However,  many  of  them  were  made  in  England  of 
varying  sizes,  and  there  were  rules  and  regulations  in 
abundance  with  regard  to  their  manufacture.  It  was 
particularly  forbidden  to  solder  on  the  ears,  but  this 
rule  was  evaded  and  at  length  disused,  so  that  we 
often  find  these  bowls  without  one  or  both  ears, 
the  solder  having  been  melted  out  or  given  way  to 
use. 

Bleeding-dishes  were  often  made  in  nests,  and  were 
marked  on  the  inside  with  rings,  so  that  the  "  chicur- 
geon "  could  tell  how  much  blood  he  was  letting. 
Those  of  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century 
measure  about  four  and  a  half  inches  across ;  they  have 
but  one  handle,  and  are  by  no  means  uncommon. 
The  graduated  rings  on  the  inside  always  proclaim 
their  use.  When  the  bowl  has  but  one  handle  and  no 
rings  on  its  interior,  it  is  called  a  taster,  and  reference 
to  these  utensils  may  be  constantly  found  in  inventories 
from  the  time  of  Queen  Elizabeth  down.  Rarely  more 
than  one  is  mentioned  in  the  belongings  of  one  person, 
and  possibly  they  were  originally  used  when  poisoning 
was  not  uncommon,  and  the  "taster"  was  an  official 
in  every  royal  household. 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     69 

In  the  inventory  of  Dr.  Perne,  Master  of  Peter- 
house,  Cambridge,  England,  dated  1589,  there  are  the 
following  items : 

"  Item,  a  white  taster  xiij  ouncs, 

Item,  a  white  taster  with  a  cover,  xiiij  ouncs." 

"  White  metal  "  was  silver,  but  tasters  \vere  more  com- 
mon in  the  baser  metal. 

A  silver  bowl  called  "  le  taster  "  is  mentioned  in  a 
Bristol  will  of  1403,  and  in  another  of  1545  occurs 
a  "  taster  of  silver  waing  by  estymacion  vi  ounces." 
Half-way  between  these  two  dates  is  a  "  taster  with  a 
cover,"  included  in  an  inventory  of  1487  attached  to 
the  will  of  Robert  Morton,  Gent,  in  the  third  year  of 
Henry  VIFs  reign.  One  of  these  tasters  with  a 
singularly  handsome  handle  is  shown  in  Figure  22. 
You  will  observe  that  it  is  slightly  smaller  at  the  top, 
which  is  made  firmer  by  a  moulded  ring.  The  large 
dishes  in  this  picture  are  chargers,  and  are  quite  similar 
to  the  style  of  dishes  which  were  used  as  alms-dishes 
both  in  this  country  and  in  Great  Britain.  The  ladle 
seems  too  small  in  size  for  soup,  and  has  not  a  long 
enough  handle  for  toddy,  so  no  doubt  it  was  used  for 
gravy,  perhaps  in  one  of  those  interesting  "  Old  Blue  " 
dishes  made  about  1800  and  later,  which  had  such  deep 
wells  in  them.  The  deep  dishes  in  this  same  figure 
were  almost  bowls,  and  took  the  place  of  vegetable- 
dishes. 

In  different  places  in  this  country  I  have  found  hot- 
water  dishes  made  of  pewter,  for  keeping  food  warm. 
They  were  almost  like  bowls,  with  a  fixed  dish  in  the 


70  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

top,  and  in  this  top  or  at  one  side  was  a  little  square 
bit  of  the  pewter  which  could  be  withdrawn,  so  as 
to  admit  the  water  or  pour  it  out.  In  Figure  23  is 
shown  one  of  these,  which  belonged  to  William,  the 
grandfather  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson.  Mr.  William 
Emerson  built  the  "  Old  Manse  "  at  Concord,  Mass., 
which  was  celebrated  through  being  the  home  of  the 
Emerson  family  for  so  many  years,  and  was  further 
distinguished  by  sheltering  Nathaniel  Hawthorne, 
who,  in  an  upper  chamber,  wrote  some  of  those 
romances  which  have  become  a  part  of  American 
classic  literature.  William  Emerson,  it  is  delightful 
to  remember,  was  a  patriot  first  and  then  a  preacher, 
and  no  doubt  was  often  late  to  his  meals  in  those  days 
when  at  every  opportunity  men  met  and  talked  about 
the  imposition  of  England,  and  when  every  New  Eng- 
land soul  was  awake  and  preparing  to  strike  out  for 
its  own.  How  often  did  this  dish  repose  on  the  hob 
while  waiting  for  the  goodman  to  come  home!  The 
coffee-urn  was  his  too,  but  not  the  other  cups,  though 
in  those  days  minister  and  ploughman  alike  took  his 
N.  E.  rum  more  times  a  day  than  I  like  to  set  down, 
and  never  was  seen  the  worse  for  it. 

The  tankard  which  stands  modestly  withdrawn  into 
the  background  has  quite  a  bit  of  romance  connected 
with  it,  though  its  appearance  is  prosaic  enough.  It 
was  owned  originally  by  a  retired  sea-captain  of 
Charlestown,  Mass.,  who  gave  it,  filled  with  gold  coin, 
to  his  eldest  daughter  on  her  marriage.  He  also  made 
the  request  that  it  should  be  handed  down  to  her  eldest 
daughter  on  her  marriage,  and  so  on,  and  that  on 


CHARGERS,  BOWLS,   LADLE  AND  TASTER 

Collection    of   Mr.    \\illiain   J/.    Hoyt 


Fig.  23.  COLLECTION  OF  PEWTER  IN  CONCORD,  MASS. 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    71 

every  occasion  it  should  be  filled  with  gold  coins. 
Unfortunately  the  family  fortunes  were  on  the  top  of 
the  wave  when  the  sea-captain's  daughter  was  married, 
and  though  thrice  or  more  times  it  has  been  handed 
down  filled,  it  was  with  silver,  not  with  gold,  and  the 
last  time  it  passed  it  was  quite  empty,  save  with  love 
and  good  wishes.  This  photograph  and  the  history  of 
the  pieces  shown  in  it  were  obtained  for  me  by  one  who 
has  now  passed  on.  He  was  one  of  those  kind  souls 
who  took  an  infinite  deal  of  pains  to  help  and  be  of 
service  whenever  it  came  in  his  power,  and  to  his  con- 
scientious work  I  am  indebted  for  many  of  the  choice 
photographs  which  were  taken  for  me  of  china,  fur- 
niture, and  pewter,  in  Concord  and  its  neighbour- 
hood. 

One  of  the  earliest  and  most  important  objects  made 
in  pewter  was  the  candlestick.  Torches  made  of  pine- 
wood  or  other  inflammable  material,  stuck  in  a  ring 
in  the  wall,  was  one  means  of  lighting,  the  high-piled 
fire  was  another,  and  "  early  to  bed "  was  put  into 
practice  oftener  than  it  is  now.  In  the  Pewterers' 
Company's  books  the  first  mention  of  a  "  bell  Candil- 
stikke  "  is  in  1489.  Several  of  these  candlesticks  are 
shown  in  Figure  24,  each  one  of  them  having  its 
grease-tray  part  way  down  its  stem.  The  three  to  the 
left  belong  to  one  collection,  and  are  much  battered 
and  marred,  having  been  left  as  they  were  found  many 
.years  ago  in  a  moat,  where  they  had  been  immersed 
in  water  for  nobody  knows  how  many  years.  They 
are  extremely  heavy,  and  designedly  so,  since  it  was 
necessary  to  make  them  firm  enough  to  avoid  the 


72          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

danger  of  having  them  tip  over.    The  standard  weights 
of  candlesticks  in  1612  were  as  follows: 

Ordinarie  highe  candlesticks  to  weighe  by  pcare,  03  11),  oo  qtr. 

Crete     middle  "  02  " 

Smale  "  "  02  "  "     " 

Crete   new   fashion  "  03  " 

"       bell  "  "  "  03  "  "     " 

Lowe    bell  "  "  "  02  " 

Crete  Wryteinge  "  01  "  " 

Smale  Wryteinge  "  "  "  oo  "  03     " 

Grawnd  with  bawles  04  "  oo     ' 

Ordinarie  highe  "  03  "  oo     " 

Smale  middle  "  "  "  02  "  "     " 

Throughout  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  'centuries 
the  candlestick  was  of  a  somewhat  dwarf  pattern,  con- 
sisting chiefly  of  a  socket  on  a  short  neck,  mounted  on 
a  heavy  base.  When,  however,  they  began  to  be  used 
on  the  table,  they  assumed  greater  height,  and  from 
about  1670  onward  they  grew  rather  taller  and  more 
ornate.  The  earliest  of  these  tall  candlesticks  were 
copied  from  those  used  in  the  churches,  which  in  turn 
took  their  shape  from  the  cathedral  pillar.  The  bases 
are  heavy  and  generally  dished,  and  somewhere  on 
the  stem  is  the  grease-ledge.  This  lasted  till  1708, 
when  the  ledge  finally  departed,  leaving  often  an  ele- 
mentary ledge  decorated  with  gadrooning  in  the 
higher-class  candlestick,  as  seen  in  the  second  one  from 
the  left  in  Figure  25. 

Domestic  candlesticks  were  rarely  more  than  nine 
inches  in  height,  the  tallest  one  in  Figure  25  being  but 
twelve  inches.  Of  course  those  made  for  the  guilds 
or  city  companies  were  very  much  taller,  but  these 


"v    V 
• 


^    ++^^  0  4« 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    73 

hardly  interest  us,  since  they  were  commonly  made  of 
silver.  The  heavy  candlestick  fell  more  and  more  into 
disuse  when  something  was  required  on  the  dining- 
table,  and  also  on  the  still  smaller  tables  which  were 
used  for  cards  in  the  reigns  of  William  III  and  Anne. 
The  columns  became  more  slender,  ornament  was 
sparingly  introduced,  and  the  pewter  sticks  modestly 
followed  the  style  set  by  those  of  finer  metal. 

There  are  items  constantly  occurring  in  the  Pew- 
terers'  Books  of  sums  paid  to  the  "  waxchaundeler " 
for  torches  and  tapers  supplied  by  him  "  at  the  buriy- 
ing  of  Brethern  and  Sustren  here  bifore  named  and 
for  the  masse  of  our  lady  and  for  the  makyng  of  the 
braunch  at  ii  times  wth  iiij  of  newe  wax,"  etc. 

But  such  candles  and  candlesticks  as  these  were  for 
the  prosperous  middle  classes,  or  even  for  those  of 
higher  rank.  The  poor  people  could  not  afford  either 
candlesticks  of  such  quality  or  the  wax  candles  to  burn 
in  them.  They  had  to  be  content  with  rushlights,  and 
a  special  kind  of  holder  came  for  these,  specimens  of 
which  are  very  rarely  found  now,  even  in  the  remote 
cottage  districts  of  England.  I  have  never  found  one 
in  America.  Miss  Jekyll,  in  her  "  Old  West  Surrey," 
says  that  we  can  hardly — 

— "realise  the  troubles  and  difficulties  in  the  way  of  procuring 
and  maintaining  artificial  light  for  the  long  dark  mornings  and 
evenings  of  half  the  year,  that  prevailed  among  cottage  folk  not 
a  hundred  years  ago.  Till  well  into  the  third  or  fourth  decade 
of  the  nineteenth  century  many  labouring  families  could  afford 
nothing  better  than  the  rushlights  that  they  made  at  home,  and 
these,  excepting  the  firelight,  had  been  their  one  means  of  light- 
ing for  all  the  preceding  generations." 


74  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

In  the  summer-time  the  children  were  sent  into  the 
marshy  ground  to  gather  the  rushes,  which  were  then 
at  their  full  growth.  The  tough  skin  was  peeled  off, 
leaving  the  pith  within,  which  was  dried,  the  rushes 
being  hung  in  bunches  either  out  of  doors  or  in  the 
fireplace.  Then  all  the  fat  that  could  possibly  be 
spared  was  gathered,  and  melted  down  in  grease-pans, 
which  were  pointed  at  each  end  and  stood  on  three 
short  feet  among  the  ashes,  which  kept  the  grease 
melted.  Eight  or  ten  rushes  at  a  time  were  drawn 
through  this  grease  and  then  put  aside  to  dry.  The 
rushes  were  grasped  in  iron  holders  which  held  them 
upright  between  two  jaws,  and,  when  the  light  was 
new  and  long,  a  bit  of  paper  was  laid  on  the  table 
to  prevent  the  grease  from  spreading.  Many  were  the 
devices  practised  by  the  cottagers  to  make  the  holders 
steady,  the  most  common  being  to  insert  the  holder, 
which  was  of  the  nature  of  a  bit  of  iron  bar  with  jaws 
at  the  top,  into  a  heavy  block  of  wood. 

"Two  pins  crossed  would  put  out  a  rushlight,  and  often  cot- 
tagers going  to  bed  —  their  undressing  did  not  take  long — would 
lay  a  lighted  rushlight  on  the  edge  of  an  oak  chest  or  chest  of 
drawers,  leaving  an  inch  of  light  over  the  edge.  It  would  burn 
up  to  the  oak  and  then  go  out.  The  edges  of  old  furniture  are 
often  found  burnt  into  shallow  grooves  from  this  practice." 

The  candles  which  it  was  customary  to  use  in  the 
sticks  shown  in  Figure  24  could  not  have  been  made  of 
a  very  excellent  quality  of  grease  or  wax,  hence  the 
necessity  for  a  bracket  to  hold  and  catch  it.  More 
modern  ones  are  shown  in  Figure  25,  the  fluted  one 
coming  under  the  head  of  "  Queen  Anne,"  and  show- 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     75 

ing  quite  plainly  that  it  has  been  cast  in  a  silver  mould. 
The  oldest  one  of  these  is  on  the  extreme  left,  and  has 
a  small  grease-tray. 

All  these  candlesticks  are  more  ornate  and  delicate, 
if  that  word  may  be  used  in  connection  with  pewter, 
than  the  ordinary  run  of  such  articles  generally  are. 
There  is  a  certain  solidity — I  had  almost  said  stoli- 
dity— in  the  alloy  itself,  which  is  not  compatible  with 
lightness,  and  the  candlesticks  of  English  make  which 
were  in  use  in  that  country  and  found  their  way  over 
here  were  more  like  the  examples  given  in  Figure  26. 
These  have  no  marks  on  them,  and  it  is  not  known 
where  they  were  made.  They  belonged  to  a  collector 
in  New  Jersey,  and  are  fine,  well-preserved  sticks.  The 
photograph  hardly  does  them  justice,  since  it  fails  to 
show  a  fine  engraving  in  four  or  five  places  on  the 
stem,  with  milling  on  the  three  rings,  and  what  looks 
like  wriggled  work  around  the  bases.  Such  candle- 
sticks as  these  held  the  choicest  wax  and  dipped  candles 
which  the  housewife  could  make.  If  possible  she  used 
bayberry-wax,  which  was  highly  esteemed  from  New 
Orleans  to  Canada.  In  1705  Robert  Beverley  de- 
scribed it  as  follows : 

"A  pale  brittle  wax  of  a  curious  green  colour,  which  by  re- 
fining becomes  almost  transparent.  Of  this  they  make  candles 
which  are  never  greasy  to  the  touch,  never  melt  with  lying  in  the 
hottest  weather;  neither  does  the  snuff  of  these  ever  offend  the 
smell  like  that  of  a  tallow  candle,  but  instead  of  being  disagree- 
able if  an  accident  puts  a  candle  out,  it  yields  a  pleasant  fra- 
grancy  to  all  that  are  in  the  room ;  insomuch  that  nice  people  often 
put  them  out  on  purpose  to  have  the  incense  of  the  expiring 
snuff." 


76          OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,     ETC. 

Long  Island  was  one  place  where  the  bayberry-bushes 
grew  in  profusion,  and  they  grow  there  still.  There 
are  one  or  two  elderly  people  who  make  such  candles 
as  these  yet,  and  some  are  for  sale, — and  they  are 
fitting  objects  to  burn  in  one  of  these  old  candlesticks 
of  a  summer  evening. 

By  1749  could  be  bought  in  Boston  "  Sperma  Ceti 
candles,"  for  they  were  advertised  in  the  "  Boston  In- 
dependent Advertiser,"  and  "  Sweetness  of  Scent  when 
extinguished,  as  well  as  Dimensions  of  Flame/'  were 
extolled  as  some  of  their  merits. 

One  of  the  most  important  things  in  a  household 
must  have  been  its  moulds  for  the  making  of  candles. 
These  moulds  were  often  of  pewter,  and  there  were 
very  definite  rules  as  to  their  making,  which  shows  that 
they  were  esteemed  worthy  of  careful  workmanship. 
We  find  this  record : 


"  1702.  Thomas  Greener  appeared  upon  Sumons  to  this  Court 
to  give  account  of  what  Mettle  he  makes  Candle  Moulds  And 
declared  he  made  them  of  a  mixture  of  Mettle  something  worse 
than  pale  and  that  they  may  be  better  of  Fine  But  that  he  has  ex- 
perienced that  they  cannot  be  made  of  Lay.  Thereupon  this 
Court  considering  That  the  making  of  any  new  sort  of  Pewter 
vessel  or  Ware  of  any  other  sort  of  Mettle  than  perfectly  fine  or 
at  the  Assize  of  Lay  may  be  of  a  very  dangerous  consequence 
And  that  there  is  great  quantities  of  Candle  Moulds  now  made 
of  Mettle  worse  than  Pale  Though  the  same  sorts  of  Moulds 
were  first  made  of  fine  Pewter.  That  from  henceforth  it  is 
ordered  all  Candle  Moulds  shall  be  made  of  Pewter  perfectly 
fine  And  that  the  Maker  thereof  shall  mark  every  such  Mould 
that  fie  shall  make  with  his  own  proper  Mark  or  Touch." 

Such  moulds  are  to  be  met  with  from  time  to  time  in 


Fig.    26.      PEWTER    CANDLESTICKS 
Collection   of   Mr.  A.  Killyorc 


Fig.  27.    CANDLE-MOULDS'  '  ' 

Collection  of  the  late  Mrs.  Merchant 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    77 

America,  and  are  for  making  two,  four,  six,  or  eight 
candles.  Some  that  have  seen  long  service  are  shown 
in  Figure  27.  The  process  of  making  such  candles 
required  skill  on  the  part  of  the  maker,  but  it  was 
easier,  and  the  product  was  better,  than  when  they 
were  dipped,  which  was  truly  back-breaking  work. 
But  the  colonists  had  not  been  living  long  on  Ameri- 
can shores  before  they  began  to  utilize  the  fish  which 
swarmed  in  our  waters,  to  produce  oil.  Francis  Hig- 
ginson,  writing  in  1630,  says  that  though  New 
England  has  "  no  tallow  to  make  candles  of,  yet 
by  abundance  of  fish  thereof,  it  can  afford  oil  for 
lamps." 

In  that  most  interesting  record,  Josselyn's  "  New 
England's  Rarities,"  which  was  written  between  1663 
and  1671,  I  find  this  item  with  reference  to  oil: 

"  The  Sperma  Ceti  whale  differeth  from  the  whales  which  yield 
us  Whale-bones,  for  the  first  hath  great  and  long  teeth,  the  other 
nothing  but  Bones  with  tassels  hanging  from  their  Jaws,  with 
which  they  suck  in  their  prey." 

While  this  account  of  the  appearance  of  the  whale  is 
highly  picturesque  and  is  drawn  largely  from  the 
writer's  imagination,  what  follows  seems  to  have  been 
quite  true. 

"  It  is  not  long  since  a  Sperma  Ceti  Whale  or  two  were  cast 
upon  the  shore  not  far  from  Boston  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay, 
which  being  cut  up  into  small  pieces  and  boyled  in  Cauldrons, 
yeilded  plenty  of  Oyl ;  The  Oyl  put  up  in  hogsheads,  and  stow'd 
into  Cellars  for  some  time,  candies  at  the  bottom,  it  may  be  ore 
quarter ;  then  the  Oyl  is  drawn  off,  and  the  Candied  stuff  put  into 
convenient  vessels,  is  sold  for  Sperma  Ceti,  and  is  right  Sperma 
Ceti." 


78  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

This  was  no  doubt  used  for  candles,  but  that  was  not 
the  only  use  to  which  it  was  applied,  for  he  goes  on  to 
say  that  "  the  Oyl  that  was  drawn  off  candies  again 
and  again  if.  well  ordered,  and  is  admirable  for 
Bruises  and  Aches." 

In  1686  Governor  Andros  asked  for  a  commission 
for  a  voyage  for  "  Sperma  Coeti  Whales."  In  1671 
Nantucket,  then  known  as  Sherburne,  began  her  whal- 
ing operations,  and  grew  to  be  the  greatest  whaling 
town  in  the  world,  and  oil  for  burning  was  soon  in  de- 
mand in  all  settled  parts  of  this  country.  Andre 
Michaux,  a  Frenchman  who  came  here  in  1793  and 
went  much  about  the  country,  wrote,  on  his  return  to 
France,  a  book  which  he  called  "  Early  Western 
Travels."  It  gives  much  information  as  to  the 
struggles  of  the  western  pioneers.  In  1802,  F.  A. 
Michaux,  his  son,  continued  the  record,  and  I  find  that 
he  has  this  to  say  with  reference  to  petroleum : 

"The  Seneca  Indian  Oil  in  so  much  repute  here  is  Petroleum; 
a  liquid  bitumen  which  oozes  through  fissures  of  the  rocks  and 
coal  in  the  mountains,  and  is  found  floating  on  the  surface  of  the 
water  of  several  springs  in  this  part  of  the  country  [near  Pitts- 
burg],  whence  it  is  skimmed  off.  It  is  very  inflammable.  In 
these  parts  it  is  used  as  a  medicine,  in  external  applications." 

The  most  primitive  form  of  lamp  was  the  so-called 
Betty  lamp,  a  specimen  of  which  is  shown  in  the  chap- 
ter on  brass.  These  lamps  were  never  made  of  pewter. 
When  the  demand  arose,  it  was  not  long  before  there 
were  a  number  of  styles  to  be  had,  which  are  shown 
in  Figures  28  and  29.  None  of  these  lamps  have  any 


Fig.  28.     TEWTER  LXMPS 
Whipple  House,  Ipswich,  Mass. 


Fis.   20.      OIL  LAMP 
National  Museum,  Washington 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    79 

mark  on  them,  and  it  is  impossible  to  tell  if  they  are  of 
foreign  or  domestic  make.  The  group  of  five  are  to 
be  found  at  the  Whipple  House,  Ipswich,  Mass.,  and 
the  single  one  is  in  Washington,  D.  C,  and  is  among 
the  articles  which  are  said  to  have  belonged  at  Mount 
Vernon  in  the  days  of  George  Washington.  All  of 
them  are  in  excellent  condition,  and  they  are  all  less 
than  eight  inches  high.  The  one  at  the  extreme  left 
has  a  thick  glass  magnifying  arrangement,  in  the 
nature  of  a  bull's-eye,  which  throws  the  light  upon  any 
object,  much  enlarged  and  brightened. 

These  lamps  were  not,  however,  the  most  primitive 
for  burning  oil,  for  in  Figure  30  is  shown  an  even 
more  crude  one.  This  seems  but  one  remove  from 
the  rushlight  or  Betty  lamp,  and  was  probably  used 
as  a  bedroom  light.  I  have  found  them  not  only  in 
pewter,  but  in  Britannia  ware  as  well,  showing  that 
their  manufacture  must  have  extended  over  a  con- 
siderable length  of  time. 

Much  more  uncommon  were  hanging  lamps  of 
pewter,  yet  such  there  were,  and  the  one  shown  in 
Figure  31  could  be  utilised  as  a  hand  lamp  as  well,  as 
it  swung  between  two  curved  posts  when  not  on  duty 
on  the  wall.  The  more  I  see  of  pewter  oil  lamps,  the 
more  I  am  inclined  to  believe  that  many  if  not  most 
of  them  were  made  in  this  country,  since  they  are  very 
rarely  seen  in  either  public  or  private  collections 
abroad.  Not  one  was  shown  at  the  exhibition  of  old 
pewter  held  in  London  about  a  year  ago,  and  none 
of  them  are  marked.  I  do  not  find  any  pewter  lamps 
of  any  description  mentioned  in  the  lists  of  articles 


8o  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

made  by  the  Pewterers'  Company  at  any  time,  and 
if  they  were  in  use  they  would  surely  be  found 
there. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  not  a  difficult  thing  to  find 
in  England  most  interesting  and  sometimes  handsome 
pewter  saltcellars;  and  while  we  have  some  fine 
examples  in  silver  in  this  country,  notably  the  one  at 
Harvard  College,  I  have  been  obliged  to  go  to  London 
for  illustrations  of  these  useful  articles.  Three  are 
given  in  Figure  32,  all  of  them  choice  specimens,  the 
one  to  the  right  having  a  peculiar  interest  for  us,  since 
it  belongs  to  the  fine  collection  of  pewter  gathered 
by  Mr.  De  Navarro,  who  some  years  ago  married  Miss 
Mary  Anderson,  and  whose  house  at  Broadway,  in 
England,  has  many  rare  and  beautiful  objects. 

To-day,  in  our  domestic  economy,  the  saltcellar 
shares  with  the  pepper-pot  a  position  of  importance 
on  the  table.  Some  hundreds  of  years  ago  it  held 
undisputed  sway,  the  pepper  apparently  being  added 
in  the  kitchen,  or  very  rarely,  in  the  case  of  "  stand- 
ing salts,"  there  was  a  top  of  pierced  pewter  where 
there  was  pepper.  They  were  called  "  salers  "  before 
they  were  known  as  saltcellars,  and  in  those  delight- 
fully picturesque  but  not  wholly  secure  days,  when 
poison  was  often  used  for  the  taking  off  of  undesir- 
ables, the  saltcellar  was  likely  to  be  the  receptacle  for 
the  fatal  dose.  Under  these  circumstances  it  is  easy 
to  see  why  they  were  often  made  with  covers.  In 
fact  they  were  sometimes  locked,  or  the  cover  could 
be  chained  down.  Later  they  were  furnished  with  one 
cr  two  arms  or  brackets  upon  which  were  hung  nap- 


Fig.  30.     OIL  LAMP 
Collection  of  Mrs.  David  Hoyt 


Fis?.   31.     PEWTER  GtlOUP  J 
Collection  of  Mr.  W.  R.  Laioshe 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     81 

kins  or  cloths  to  protect  the  contents  from  meddlers 
and  to  keep  it  clean. 

Standing  salts  are  mentioned  in  wills  by  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fourteenth  century,  but  there  are  none  of 
these  very  early  ones  to  be  found,  even  of  silver.  They 
were  not  of  any  particular  design,  but  were  fashioned 
to  imitate  lions,  tigers,  castles,  dragons,  elephants,  or 
even  human  figures,  and  it  was  not  till  the  middle  of 
the  fifteenth  century  that  a  definite  shape  was  arrived 
at,  which  was  something  like  an  hour-glass  or  the 
letter  X.  By  the  sixteenth  century  the  sides  of  the 
saltcellar  became  straight,  and  some  of  the  finest  of 
these  standing  salts  had  perforated  covers  for  pepper. 
At  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  the  sides  became 
concave,  and  ball  feet  were  added,  and  they  were 
known  as  "  bell  salts." 

By  the  time  of  Charles  the  First  and  the  Common- 
wealth, the  standing  salt,  the  position  of  which  on  the 
table  indicated  the  relative  social  condition  of  the 
guests,  since  the  nobles  sat  above  it,  and  the  retainers 
below  it,  ceased  to  have  its  former  consequence.  The 
lines  of  caste  were  less  sharply  drawn,  sentiment  was 
more  republican,  and  symbols  to  define  the  differences 
between  noble  and  commoner  were  no  longer  so  rigor- 
ously demanded.  For  this  reason  the  stately  and  ele- 
gant standing  salt  gave  place  to  what  was  almost  a 
reversion  to  the  first  type  of  the  X-shape,  and  the 
cover  was  replaced  by  the  napkin  previously  mentioned.  • 
By  1700  the  form  was  very  simple.  For  some  time 
before  this  there  had  been  a  growing  demand  for 
"  trencher  salts,"  so  called,  quite  small  in  size,  which 


82  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

were  to  be  distributed  among  the  guests.  These  plain 
salt  cellars  remained  in  vogue  during  the  whole  eight- 
eenth century,  at  least  in  pewter,  though  those  of  silver 
took  on  varied  fanciful  forms  which  could  not  be 
imitated  in  the  baser  metal. 

The  list  of  the  possessions  of  the  Pewterers'  Com- 
pany at  their  first  Hall  in  1489  is  interesting',  since 
it  was  a  prosperous  guild  and  had  many  rooms  com- 
fortably furnished. 

The  members  of  the  craft  were  called  on  for  liberal 
contributions,  and  the  first  gift  was  a  table  of  "  cipyrs  " 
(cypress)  three  yards  bng,  and  a  "  littl  bora  wth  iiii 
fete."  One  "  pewtrer  "  —he  must  have  beer-  well  to 
do — gave  "  two  sylur  sponys  iche  of  they  hauing  on 
the  endis  a  postell  [apostle]  wroght  and  ouergilt." 
There  were  also  brass  pots,  iron  spits,  and  one  "  Bel 
Candilstikke,"  a  posnet  of  brass,  four  tables  to  play 
upon,  and  a  new  ladder. 

The  next  year  one  of  the  "bretheren"  left  to  the 
guild  by  will  a  stone  mortar  and  pestle,  a  goblet, 
basin,  and  three  salts  without  covers.  They  had  a 
hard  time  getting  their  windows  glazed  in  the  great 
hall,  for  glass  was  not  a  common  commodity  in  1490, 
and  they  finally  effected  it  by  having  each  man  do  his 
share,  such  an  item  being  frequent  as,  "  the  midell 
pane  of  the  baye  windowe  glassid  thurgh  by  Willm 
Welby." 

Forms,  stools,  and  trestle-boards  were  the  main 
furniture,  and  there  were  many  table-cloths  and  nap- 
rims  including  "  A  table  cloth  of  diapre  of  ten  yerde 
long  and  two  yerde  brode  of  ye  gifte  of  a  peautrers 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    83 

wif  narrreles  god  reward  hir."  There  were  also  speci- 
fied, and  particularly  marked  on  the  margin  of  the 
book,  a  gift  of  eight  "  saltes  of  fyne  metell  wtout 
coueryng  weiyng  six  Ibs.,  made  of  such  metalle  as  ben 
crossid  vpon  the  heed  bifore  in  this  boke." 

In  1612  the  weights  of  saltcellars  were  set  down  in 
this  table : 

lb.  qtrs. 
"  Great  duble  bells  wth  pep.  boxes  and  baules  the  half 

dozen  to  weighe  09.  oo. 

Create  duble  Bells  plaine,  ha.  doz 06.  oo. 

Middle  dubble  wth  bawles  "     "       06.  oo. 

Smale    03.  oo. 

Create    single    ; 06.  oo. 

Smale   single    , 02.  03. 

The  wrought  Acorne  salt  04.  oo. 

The  greate   Chapnut 01.  oo. 

Ye  smale  ye   01.  oo. 

Such  salts  as  those  shown  in  Figure  32  were  made 
in  two  or  more  pieces  and  then  soldered  together. 
The  bowl  was  one,  and  the  foot  the  other  piece.  Round 
•ones  are  commoner  than  those  with  octagonal  bases 
and  sides,  since  from  the  very  nature  of  the  alloy  it 
was  easier  to  make  them  in  this  way.  There  is  only 
one  set  of  octagonal  plates  and  platters  known,  and 
they  are  in  England,  and  have  been  in  the  owner's 
family  for  a  hundred  and  fifty  years,  although  not 
in  use  for  the  last  eighty. 

I  find  by  old  letters  and  records  that  even  by  1820 
there  were  some  old  conservative  families  who  still 
used  their  pewter  in  those  stately  homes  which  even 
yet  line  those  long  New  England  streets  which  we 
know  so  well ;  and  while  the  ladies  saw  to  it  that  their 


S4  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

pewter  was  kept  as  bright  as  silver,  the  male  members 
clung  to  their  ruffled  shirts  and  brass-buttoned  coats. 

Inkstands  were  another  class  of  small  objects  which 
had  a  ready  sale,  and  they  were  of  different  fashions, — 
one  on  a  stand  with  a  drawer  beneath  being  shown 
on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  group  which  is  shown  in 
Figure  19.  These  did  not  wear  very  well,  for  they 
were  easily  bent.  Another  style  consisted  of  a  tray 
with  an  inkpot  on  it,  as  well  as  a  box  for  sand.  Far 
commoner  were  those  small  round  pots  without  lids, 
of  which  an  example  is  shown  in  Figure  31,  standing 
next  to  the  little  whale-oil  lamp.  How  often  have  the 
dried-up  contents  of  such  a  pot  been  hastily  inundated 
with  water  when  Corydon  or  Phyllida  took  their 
infrequent  pen  in  hand  to  answer  or  indite  a  billet 
dowel 

Leather  boxes  for  shaving-materials  had  pewter 
fittings  and  shaving-mug;  I  know  of  several  of  these, 
and  of  one  in  particular  which  was  brought  over  by 
one  of  the  French  officers  who  accompanied  La 
Fayette  when  he  came  to  our  assistance  in  1776.  In 
the  soapbox  is  still  a  cake  of  soap,  all  dried  up,  but 
yet  showing  the  mottoes  with  which  it  was  decorated. 
It  is  needless  to  say  that  this  red-leather  box  is  trea- 
sured by  its  owner,  who  is  one  of  the  descendants  of 
the  officer  who  brought  it  to  this  country. 

There  are  many  references  in  the  Pewterers'  books 
to  articles  with  "  bawles,"  which  were  the  round  feet 
on  which  the  object  stood.  In  Figure  33  is  a  tray  with 
such  "  bawles,"  a  rare  and  quaint  specimen.  Just  what 
its  original  use  was  is  not  evident,  but  it  resembles 


Fii?.   33.      PEWTER  GROUP 
Collection  of  'lira.   E.   P.  Smillie 


Fig.   34.     PEWTER   AND   BRITANNIA   TEAPOTS 
Collection  of  J/r.  Dudley  Hoyt 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     85 

somewhat  the  tazzi  which  were  so  popular  when  the 
great  Wedgwood  potted,  before  1795.  The  pottery 
tazzi  had  a  single  foot,  but  the  dish  part  was  shallow 
like  this  piece.  It  is  in  good  condition,  and  an  interest- 
ing piece.  Next  it  is  a  lamp  upheld  by  three  hollow 
supports ;  this  is  also  of  good  old  pewter,  but  the  three 
teapots  and  the  pitcher  come  under  the  head  of 
Britannia  ware,  though  many  collectors  like  to  include 
such  among  their  pewter  articles.  This  group  of 
pewter  belongs  to  a  collector  who  lives  in  Vermont, 
and  who  began  to  gather  old  and  good  things  together 
long  before  the  fancy  had  taken  so  many  other  people. 
She  has  a  large  house,  and  it  is  filled  with  fine  old 
mahogany,  old  glass,  brass,  fine  china,  and  all  sorts 
of  lovely  things.  In  fact  she  is  quite  proud  of  the  fact 
that  there  are  only  two  new  articles  of  furniture  in 
the  house,  and  she  is  careful  never  to  reveal  their 
identity. 

While  there  were  such  things  as  pewter  teapots, 
they  were  not  very  useful,  for  if  they  were  stood 
among  the  hot  ashes  (or  in  later  years  upon  the 
stove)  they  melted  away.  If  they  were  even  set  upon 
the  hob  they  were  apt  to  be  spoiled,  and  in  the  cold 
houses  of  a  hundred  or  more  years  ago  it  was  desir- 
able to  keep  the  victuals  and  drink  as  hot  as  possible. 

In  Figure  34  there  is  a  group  of  five  teapots,  two 
of  them  of  pewter  (and  these  are  easily  to  be  dis- 
tinguished by  their  plain  outlines)  and  three  of  Bri- 
tannia ware,  the  second  from  the  left  being  a  shape 
that  was  often  used  by  Dixon  &  Sons  for  whole  tea- 
sets.  I  myself  have  a  sugar-bowl  like  it,  marked  1825. 


86  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

It  grieves  collectors  very  much  to  tell  them  that 
such  pieces,  particularly  if  marked  with  the  names  of 
either  Dixon  or  Vickers,  are  not  pewter.  I  had  a  letter 
not  long  since  from  a  collector  and  dealer  who  said 
that  he  had  handled  thousands  of  pieces  of  pewter 
during  the  last  few  years,  and  that  he  owned  a  tea- 
set,  marked  Dixon,  which  was  as  good  pewter  as  any 
pieces  which  he  had  ever  seen.  But  neither  Dixon  nor 
Vickers  ever  made  pewter;  they  were  makers  of 
"white  metal"  pure  and  simple,  the  credit  of  making 
pewter  has  been  thrust  upon  them. 

One  of  the  commonest  uses  to  which  pewter  was 
put  was  the  fashioning  of  church  vessels,  and  nearly 
ail  churches,  if  not  richly  or  royally  endowed,  began 
with  pewter  communion-services,  even  if  they  did  get 
rid  of  them  as  soon  as  they  could  or  had  them  silver- 
plated.  After  the  rude  horns  which  had  served  for 
drinking-cups  had  been  superseded  by  something  bet- 
ter, the  earthenware  and  glass  which  could  be  obtained 
was  considered  too  perishable ;  wood  had  been  forbid- 
den; so  gold,  silver,  and  pewter  remained.  The  cups, 
chalices,  patens,  and  alms-plates  of  pewter  were  often 
enriched  with  engravings  of  Biblical  scenes  or  mottoes. 
Sometimes  even  the  font  was  made  of  this  alloy,  in 
which  case  it  had  to  be  of  unusual  thickness. 

Perhaps  it  was  fortunate  that  so  many  church  vessels 
were  made  of  pewter,  for  in  this  way  they  escaped 
confiscation  at  the  dissolution  of  the  monasteries  in 
1537;  and  after  the  Reformation,  when  communion 
was  the  rule,  it  was  specified  that  "  Wine  we  require 
to  be  brought  to  the  Communion  Table  in  a  clean  and 


Fig.  35.     CHURCH  FLAGON,  DATED  1753 
Collection  of  Dr.  H.  Tait 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    87 

sweet  standing  pot  or  stoup  of  pewter."  This  was 
in  1603.  The  subject  of  "Church  Plate"  has 
interested  antiquarians  in  England  during  the  last  few 
years,  and  in  Nightengale's  "  Church  Plate  of  Dorset  " 
the  earliest  flagons  described  are  dated  1641,  while 
in  Andrew  Trollope's  "  Church  Plate  of  Leicester- 
shire" are  mentioned  flagons  dated  from  the  year 
1635.  The  last  pieces  purchased  which  are  mentioned 
in  this  latter  inventory  were  dated  1800. 

The  shapes  of  the  flagons  varied  somewhat,  and  they 
were  to  be  found  with  a  spout  or  not,  more  frequently 
without,  and  in  Figure  35  is  shown  a  handsome 
example  dated  1735  and  in  excellent  preservation.  It 
is  sixteen  inches  high,  though  many  of  them  were 
only  eleven  to  fourteen,  and  I  have  seen  a  flagon 
designated  as  "  great  "  which  was  but  thirteen  inches 
tall.  The  types  of  cups  were  like  the  one  in  Figure  36, 
which  is  of  the  shape  known  as  "  Presbyterian," 
and  which  is  still  in  use  in  Scotland,  where  pewter 
for  church  use  has  survived  longer  than  anywhere 
else. 

The  Scotch  guild  of  Pewterers  was  a  very  important 
body,  and,  like  those  of  England,  had  very  rigid  rules 
by  which  they  were  governed.  They  were  not 
organised  as  early  as  were  their  English  brethren, 
since  it  was  1496  before  the  hammermen  became  of 
sufficient  importance  to  have  a  "  seal  of  cause,"  or 
charter,  granted  to  them  in  Edinburgh,  which  was  the 
most  important  town  in  Scotland  at  that  time.  But 
for  a  century,  or  a  little  less,  little  pewter  was  made, 
for  its  price  was  so  great  that  only  the  wealthy  could 


88  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

afford  it,  and  they  obtained  what  they  needed  from 
France  and  England.. 

The  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Scotch  guild  are 
much  like  the  English  ones. 

"  i.  That  no  hammerman  or  servant  presume  to  practise  more 
arts  than  one,  to  prevent  damage  or  hurt  to  other  trades. 

"2.  That  no  person  presume  to  expose  for  sale  any  sort  of 
goods  in  the  street  at  any  other  time  than  the  market  day. 

"3.  That  persons  best  qualified  of  each  of  the  crafts  be  em- 
powered to  search  for  and  inspect  the  goods  made,  and  if  found 
insufficient' in  material  and  workmanship,  a  fine  to  be  imposed. 

"4.  That  all  hammermen  be  examined  by  the  masters  and 
deacons  of  their  several  crafts,  and  if  their  essays  be  found  good 
they  were  to  be  admitted  freemen  of  the  Incorporation. 

"5.  That  no  person  harbour  or  employ  the  servant  or  ap- 
prentice of  another  without  the  master's  consent. 

"6.  That  no  one  not  of  the  aforesaid  craft  sell  or  vend  any 
sort  of  work  made  by  any  other  craft. 

"  7.  That  any  persons  guilty  of  breaking  any  of  these  above 
articles  pay  eight  shillings  Scots." 

The  Scotch  pewterers'  craft,  in  common  with  all 
others,  had  two  masters,  who  looked  after  the  interests 
of  their  guild,  saw  to  the  admission  of  apprentices, 
who  became  freemen  after  serving  an  apprenticeship 
of  seven  years,  and  examined  the  admission-pieces 
made  by  applicants,  such  as  lavers,  basins,  and  flagons, 
the  article  changing  from  year  to  year  till  in  1794 
a  three-pound  dish  and  a  pint  flagon  were  all  that  were 
required,  since  the  palmy  days  of  pewter  had  passed, 
and  it  was  being  crowded  out  by  both  pottery  and 
tinware,  either  of  them  cheaper  substitutes. 

The  "  Whiteironsmiths,"  as  the  tin-workers  were 
called,  were  at  odds  with  the  pewterers  almost  from 


Fig. 


COMMUNION    CUP,    "PRESBYTERIAN' 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    89 

the  beginning,  and  though  at  first  they  worked  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  guild  of  Hammermen,  by  1739 
they  were  anxious  to  form  a  guild  by  themselves.  This 
was  promptly  denied  them  by  the  pewterers,  and  the 
two  sets  of  workers  hung  together,  always  jealous  of 
each  other,  and  ready  to  report  any  infringements  of 
each  others'  rights. 

The  matter  of  stamping  was  under  the  same  regula- 
tions as  in  England,  and  each  piece  was  to  be  marked 
with  the  makers  private  mark  as  well  as  with  the 
quality  mark  and  the  small  imitation  hall  marks.  The 
maker's  mark  often  included  his  name,  and  one  of 
the  hall  marks  was  generally  the  thistle,  which  has  now 
come  to  be  one  of  the  chief  distinguishing  marks  of 
Scotch  pewter.  Unfortunately  their  "  touch-plates  " 
have  entirely  disappeared,  if  ever  there  were  any,  and 
it  is  often  difficult  to  tell  the  difference:  tetw»een  pieces-.  ;•• 
of  English  and  Scotch  make.  There* •a?e';  marks  of'*  * 
the  different  cities,  however,  but  the^  ape.  sjel(loj*ru*py^:\:  •  ;;. 
ent  except  on  flagons.  They  are  such'mar'lcs'aVthe  one 
of  Edinburgh  (which  shows  a  triple-towered  castle 
standing  on  a  rock,  a  tree,  fish,  and  bird  on  tree)  and 
the  bell  of  Glasgow. 

There  was  a  certain  "  Johnny  Faa,"  a  gypsy  king 
who  was  granted  the  title  of  "  Lord  and  Count  of 
Little  Egypt,"  and  his  dependents  or  followers  seem 
to  have  been  travelling  pewterers  or  tinkers,  who  went 
about  the  country  recasting  old  and  broken  pewter. 
These  men  were  required  to  have  a  license,  and  a  set 
of  these  licenses  dating  from  1600  to  1764,  bearing 
initials  and  dates,  are  now  preserved  in  the  Antiqua- 


9o  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

rian  Museum  of  Scotland.  There  is  also  a  list  of  the 
Freemen  belonging  to  the  Incorporation  of  Hammer- 
men from  1600  to  1800,  recording  the  dates  of  their 
admission  to  the  guild,  the  recurrence  of  certain  names 
showing  how  the  trade  descended  from  father  to  son, 
and  even  to  grandson. 

The  Scottish  pewter,  like  the  English,  never  revelled 
in  that  wealth  of  ornament  which  was  bestowed  on  it 
by  the  Continental  pewterers.  It  was  simple  and 
dignified  in  outline,  and  susceptible  of  use  for  domestic 
purposes,  what  decoration  it  had  being  confined  to 
mouldings  and  some  slight  engraving. 

Perhaps  the  favourite  of  all  the  Scotch  utensils  was 

the  drinking-vessel  which  went  by  the  curious  name 

of  "  tappit-hen  "    (see  Figure  37),  and  which  could 

be  so  small  that  it  would  hold  but  a  pint,  or  large 

.•, enough  .tp,,ltoM  three  quarts.     The  larger  sizes  were 

'''reaHy'corin'he-Gr  to  tavern  use,  and  they  commonly  had 

?fha)|  cuji)  fastened  just  within  the  lid.     These  great 

'  Vessels'  were'  brought  to  the  doors  of  travelling-coaches, 

which  were  the  only  means  of  locomotion  on  land  in 

those  days,  and  the  weary  and  exhausted  travellers, 

each  in  his  turn,  might  refresh  and  warm  themselves 

with  the  strong  drink,  which  was  piping  hot  when  it 

came  from  the  tap-room  of  the  inn.     Sir  Walter  Scott 

refers  to  these  drinking-vessels  in  "  Waverley,"  when 

he  says: 

"  The  hostess  appeared  with  a  large  pewter  measure  con- 
taining at  least  three  English  quarts,  familiarly  denominated  a 
'  tappit-hen.' " 

There  was  another  style  of  drinking-vessel  that  was 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     91 

called  a  "  quaich,"  and  which  was  nearly  identical  with 
the  two-eared  bowls  which  were  so  common  in  Eng- 
land and  Holland,  and  which  have  already  been  shown 
(Figure  21).  The  chief  difference  lay  in  the  handles, 
the  Scotch  ones  being  solid,  while  those  of  English 
or  Continental  make  had  the  handles  pierced  in  differ- 
ent patterns.  The  size  of  these  quaiches  ran  from  three 
to  nine  inches  across,  the  former  being  used  as  a  drink- 
ing-cup,  many  of  them  being  in  use  in  remote  parishes 
till  within  recent  years.  The  larger-sized  ones  were 
porridge-bowls,  and  in  them  was  served  the  "  parritch," 
the  favourite  dainty  of  every  true  Scotsman. 

The  thrifty  Scot  was  in  the  habit  of  saving  his 
pennies  when  he  could,  and  for  this  purpose  a  little 
money-box  of  earthenware  was  made,  which  was 
known  by  the  quaint  name  of  "  the  Pirley  Pig."  One 
of  these  boxes  made  of  pewter  (Figure  38)  is  called 
the  "  most  curious  piece  of  pewter  in  Scotland."  It 
belongs  to  the  Town  Council  of  Dundee,  and  is  in 
shape  like  an  orange  a  little  flattened.  It  is  but  three 
inches  high  and  six  in  diameter,  and  on  one  side  is  an 
opening  through  which  an  iron  rod  passes,  to  fasten 
it  in  its  place,  so  that  it  could  not  be  stolen.  On  the 
opposite  side  is  a  slit  through  which  the  money  was 
dropped,  and  this  box  was  used  to  receive  the  fines 
of  those  members  of  the  Council  who  failed  to  attend 
the  meetings.  As  may  be  seen,  it  was  finely  decorated, 
and  has  on  it  the  royal  arms  as  well  as  those  of  "  Sir 
James  Skrimzeour,  Prowest,  Anno  1602,  14  May." 
The  history  of  this  fine  little  piece  of  work  was  like 
that  of  so  many  other  relics, —  it  was  rescued  from  a 


92  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

heap  of  waste  as  lately  as  1839,  after  being  lost  for 
many  years  and  having  escaped  the  melting-pot,  that 
awful  pit  which  swallowed  up  so  much  pewter. 

The  pewter  beggars'  badges  were  in  use  in  Scot- 
land longer  than  in  any  other  country,  for  they  were 
issued  as  lately  as  the  middle  of  the  last  century. 
Sometimes  the  name  of  the  beggar  was  inscribed  on 
the  badge,  sometimes  the  arms  of  the  town,  while  in 
other  instances  there  was  only  a  number,  with  the 
name  of  the  town  and  parish. 

In  the  Museum  of  Antiquities  at  Edinburgh  there 
is  a  circular  badge  of  pewter,  about  the  size  of  a  half- 
dollar,  which  has  on  it  a  crowned  thistle  and  the 
initials  V.R.,  with  the  date  1847,  the  number  28,  and 
the  name  "  William  Bain,"  following  which  are  the 
words  "  Pass  and  Repass."  This  was  probably  one 
of  the  last  of  these  badges  which  was  issued. 

Communion-tokens  were  a  feature  of  the  Scottish 
Churches,  both  Episcopalian  and  Presbyterian.  While 
they  were  made  of  pewter  they  were  quaint  in  design 
and  of  various  shapes.  The  first  one  that  is  on  record 
is  spoken  of  in  a  Glasgow  Sessions  Record  for  1593. 
This  one  was,  no  doubt,  lead,  for  pewter  was  by  no 
means  common  in  Scotland  at  that  date.  Later,  how- 
ever, they  were  made  of  pewter,  and  by  the  churches 
that  issued  them,  so  that  no  maker's  mark  ever 
appeared  on  them. 

The  shapes  were  very  various,  I  have  seen  them 
of  heart  design  as  well  as  square,  octagonal,  .and 
round.  First  they  bore  only  the  initial  letter  of  the 
parish  to  which  the  holder  belonged ;  then  some  small 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     93 

ornament  was  added,  like  a  star,  or  a  tree ;  and  then 
came  a  date.  The  use  of  them  continued  till  the 
middle  of  the  nineteenth  century,  when  the  pewter 
tokens  were  replaced  by  cardboard  tickets. 

The  way  in  which  these  tokens  were  used  seems 
strange  enough  to  us  now,  and  was  confined  to  Scot- 
land. On  a  week-day,  those  who  wished  to  partake 
of  communion  presented  themselves  before  the  minis- 
ter and  elders  and  received  one  of  these  tokens,  which 
had  to  be  given  up  on  Sunday  before  the  possessor 
could  obtain  communion.  They  were  given  out  in  no 
indiscriminate  manner,  for  if  sought  by  a  person  who 
was  known  to  be  evil  in  ways  of  living  it  was  denied. 
This,  as  may  be  imagined,  led  to  many  hot  scenes  at 
the  distribution,  so  that  it  became  general  for  the 
minister  to  examine  each  applicant  first,  lest  refusal 
might  prove  necessary.  These  communion-tokens  are 
smaller  than  the  beggars'  badges,  probably  for  con- 
venience in  carrying  in  the  hand,  while  the  badges 
were  worn  on  the  outside  of  the  coat  so  that  they  could 
be  easily  seen. 

In  America  the  most  common  pieces  of  pewter  to 
be  found  are  those  for  domestic  use,  although  I  know 
of  portions,  at  least,  of  communion-services  which  have 
been  rescued  from  ignominy  by  collectors.  There  are 
also  some  sets  which  are  retained  by  the  parishes 
which  originally  owned  them,  and  which,  though  no 
longer  in  use,  are  respectfully  treated  in  consideration 
of  their  one-time  service.  In  1729  the  First  Church 
at  Hanover,  Mass.,  bought  a  set  of  communion-vessels 
and  a  christening-basin,  all  of  pewter.  It  still  pre- 


94  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

serves  them  as  relics.  Grafton,  Mass.,  has  another 
set,  five  pieces  in  all, — two  flagons,  two  patens,  and  a 
tankard, — inscribed  as  the  gift  of  one  of  the  deacons 
of  the  church  in  1742.  These  are  also  carefully  pre- 
served, but  I  know  of  another  set,  also  inscribed,  which 
was  rescued  from  a  peddler's  wagon,  where  it  had 
been  thrown  as  "  junk  "  in  exchange  for  new  tinware. 
How  late  these  communion-services  continued  to  be 
used  among  our  country  churches  it  would  be  hard 
to  say,  yet  in  the  records  of  the  First  Church  of  Rock- 
ingham,  Vt,  for  March  22,  1819,  I  find  this  entry 
with  regard  to  the  purchase  of  a  pewter  communion- 
service  : 

"  Whereas  it  is  very  desirable,  by  every  well-wisher  to  every 
religious  institution,  that  every  necessary  and  decent  provision 
for  the  accommodation  and  utility  of  its  members  should  be 
made;  and  whereas  we,  the  subscribers,  understand  that  the 
Sacramental  Table,  in  the  Congregational  Meeting-house  in  this 
town,  is  now  and  ever  has  been  wholly  unfurnished  with  suit- 
able vessels  for  the  decently  and  conveniently  celebrating  the 
Gospel  Institution  of  The  Lord's  Supper;  Therefore,  we,  the  un- 
dersigned, severally  engage  to  pay  to  Mr.  Royal  Earl  the  sum  an- 
nexed to  our  respective  names  for  the  sole  purpose  of  purchasing 
all  necessary  furniture  for  said  Table.  The  said  furniture,  pur- 
chased as  aforesaid,  shall  be  the  sole  property  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  for  their  public  use  and  benefit  for  ever." 

Then  follow  the  names  of  44  subscribers,  the  largest 
amount  given  being  $2.50  and  the  smallest  20  cents. 
The  total  amount  subscribed  was  $28.74,  and  then 
comes  this  additional  note,  which  reflects  that  credit 
on  the  Female  Society  that  one  ever  looks  for  in  those 
circumstances  where  something  is  needed  to  fill  a  gap 
in  the  church  or  parish,  and  which  has  been  over- 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER     95 

looked  by  the  masculine  minds  which  have  first  say, 
but  do  not  always  speak  to  the  point,  though  I  know 
it  is  heresy  to  say  so ! 

"  In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  the  Female  Society  advanced 
three  dollars  and  purchased  the  Baptismal  Bason.  Mrs.  Eunice 
Richards  gave  the  Table  cloth  and  Two  Small  napkins  or  Towels. 
The  whole  furniture,  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  consists  of 
two  large  Tankard  Pots,  four  cups,  two  with  handles,  and  two 
small  Platters." 

Then,  in  a  different  hand,  follow — 

"Directions  for  cleansing  the  foregoing  vessels.  Take  a  piece 
of  fine  woollen  cloth,  upon  this  put  as  much  sweet  oil  as  will  pre- 
vent its  rubbing  dry;  with  these  rub  them  well  in  every  part; 
then  wipe  them  smartly  with  a  soft  dry  linen  rag,  and  then  rub 
them  off  with  soft  wash  leather  and  whiting.  N.  B.  If  con- 
venient, wash  them  in  boiling  water  and  soap,  just  before  they 
are  rubbed  with  wash-leather  and  whiting.  This  would  take  off 
the  oil  more  effectually,  and  make  the  engraving  look  brighter." 

Can  you  not  see  the  Female  Society  planning  to  spend 
that  three  dollars  out  of  their  small  treasury,  and  then 
considering  all  the  ways  of  cleaning  pewter,  the 
majority  settling  on  the  rules  set  down  above?  I 
have  tried  to  find  out  if  this  set  is  still  in  existence, 
but  no  replies  have  been  received  to  my  letters,  though 
they  were  never  returned. 

While  the  use  of  pewter  lasted  long  in  the  churches 
whose  members  were  not  burdened  by  world's  gear, 
in  the  large  cities,  at  least,  where  other  wares  could 
be  obtained,  its  use  for  domestic  purposes  was  being 
superseded.  It  had  held  its  own  in  America  for  two 
hundred  years  and  over;  for,  from  the  very  nature  of 
the  material,  it  was  good  to  carry  in  the  scant  baggage 
brought  over  by  the  pioneers,  since  about  the  worst 


96  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,   -ETC. 

that  could  happen  to  it  was  a  few  dents,  which  could 
be  hammered  out  if  they  were  too  deep  or  if  they 
threatened  to  injure  the  usefulness  of  the  vessel. 

From  almost  the  very  first  there  are  plenty  of 
records  of  pewter.  In  1647,  when  the  widow  Coyte- 
more  married  John  Winthrop,  she  brought  to  him, 
from  the  estate  of  her  late  husband,  pewter  valued  at 

£135. 

In  1657  Governor  William  Bradford  died.    He  left 

an  inventory  of  so  much  and  such  valuable  property 
that  I  am  going  to  give  it  all,  since  it  is  often  mis- 
quoted and  is  never  given  entire.  The  family  of 
Governor  Bradford  included  himself  and  wife  and  two 
children.  Then  there  were  the  Rogers,  Latham,  and 
Cushman  boys,  who  fell  to  the  charge  of  Governor 
Bradford  on  the  deaths  of  their  parents.  A  little  later, 
Mrs.  Kempton,  who  was  related  to  the  governor,  came 
into  the  family,  and  she  brought  her  four  children  with 
her,  and  her  husband  as  well,  so  that  there  were 
thirteen  in  the  family  to  be  provided  for.  This  inven- 
tory is  transcribed  from  the  Plymouth  Records,  and 
it  is  unfortunate  that  so  many  of  the  articles  have  dis- 
appeared. 

"  Bedding  and  other  things  in  ye  old  parlor. 

Impr.  One  feather  bed  and  bolster;  a  feather  bed  a  feather 
bolster  a  feather  pillow ;  a  canvas  bed  with  feathers  and  a  bolster 
and  2  pillows;  one  green  rug;  a  paire  of  whit  blanketts ;  I  whit 
blankett;  2  pairs  of  old  blanketts;  2  old  coverlids;  I  old  whit 
rugg  and  an  old  kid  coverlid;  I  paire  of  old  curtaines  darnicks 
and  an  old  paire  of  sach  curtaines;  a  court  cubbard ;  a  winescot 
bedsteed  and  a  settle;  4  lether  chaires;  I  great  lether  chaire;  2 
great  wooden  chaires ;  a  table  and  a  forme  and  2  stooles ;  a  win- 
scott  chist  and  cubbard;  a  case  with  six  knives;  3  matchlock 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    97 

musketts ;   a  snapchance  muskett ;   a  birding  piece  and  a  small 
piece ;  a  pistdl  and  cutlas ;  a  card  and  a  plat. 

In  the  great  Rome. 

2  great  carved  chaires ;  a  smale  carved  chaire;  a  table  and  a 
forme ;  3  striped  carpetts ;  10  cushions ;  3  old  cushens ;  a  causlett 
and  one  head  peece ;  i  fouling  peece  without  a  locke ;  3  old  barrels 
of  guns  one  paire  of  old  bandeleers  and  a  crest. 

Linnin. 

2  paire  of  holland  sheets ;  I  dowlis  sheet ;  2  paire  of  cotton  and 
linnen  sheets ;  2  paire  of  hemp  and  cotten  sheets ;  2  paire  of 
canvas  sheets ;  2  paire  of  old  sheets ;  4  fine  shirts ;  4  other  shirts ; 
a  dozen  of  cotten  and  linnin  napkins;  a  dozen  of  canvas  napkins; 
a  diaper  tablecloth  and  a  dozen  of  diaper  napkins ;  10  diaper  nap- 
kins of  another  sort  a  diaper  tablecloth ;  2  holland  tablecloths ; 
2  short  tablecloths ;  2  old  tablecloths ;  a  dozen  of  old  napkins ; 
halfe  a  dozen  of  napkins;  3  old  napkins;  a  dozen  of  course  nap- 
kins and  a  course  tablecloth;  2  fine  holland  cubburd  clothes;  3 
paire  of  holland  pillow  beers;  3  paire  of  dowlis  pillow  beers  and 
an  old  one ;  4  holland  towells  and  a  lockorumone. 

Pewter. 

14  pewter  dishes  weying  47  pound  att  15  d.  a  pound ;  6  pewter 
plates  and  13  pewter  platters  weying  thirty  pounds  att  15  d.  a 
pound;  2  pewter  plates  5  sawsers  4  basons  and  5  dishes  weying 
eighteen  pounds  att  15  d.  a  pound ;  2  py  plates  of  pewter ;  3  cham- 
ber potts;  7  porrengers;  2  quart  potts  and  a  pint  pott;  2  old 
flagons  an  a  yore;  a  pewter  candlesticke  a  salt  and  a  little  pew- 
ter bottle;  4  Venice  glasses  and  seaven  earthen  dishes;  2  ffrench 
kittles. 

In  kitchen  brasse. 

i  brasse  kittle;  2  little  ffrench  kittles;  an  old  warming  pan;  2 
old  brasse  kittles;  a  dash  pan;  3  brasse  skillets;  3  brasse  candle 
stickes  and  a  brassemorter  and  pestle ;  an  old  brasse  skimmer  and 
a  ladle;  a  paire  of  andirons  an  old  brasse  stewpan ;  2  old  brasse 
kittles ;  2  iron  skillets  and  an  iron  kittle ;  2  old  iron  potts ;  2  iron 
potts  lesser;  2  paire  of  pot  hangers  and  2  paire  of  pott  hookes; 
2  paire  of  tongges  and  an  old  fier  shouel ;  one  paire  of  andirons 


98  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

and  a  gridiron;  a  spitt  and  an  old  iron  driping  pan;  a  paire  of 
iron  racks  and  an  iron  peele  and  another  peec  of  old  iron  to  lay 
before  a  driping  pan;  4  dozen  of  old  trenchers;  2  juggs  and  3 
smale  bottles. 

In  the  new  chamber  his  clothes. 

A  stuffe  suite  with  silver  buttons  and  a  coate;  a  cloth  cloake 
faced  with  taffety  lineed  threw  with  baies ;  a  sod  coullered  cloth 
suite;  a  turkey  Grogorum  suite  and  a  cloake;  a  paire  of  black 
britches  and  a  kid  wastcoat ;  a  lead  coullered  cloth  suit  with  silver 
buttons ;  a  sod  coullered  short  coate  and  an  old  serge  suite ;  a 
blacke  cloth  coate;  a  broad  cloth  coate;  a  light  coullered  stuffe 
coate;  an  old  green  goune;  a  light  collered  cloth  cloake;  an  old 
violett  coullered  cloake ;  a  short  coate  of  cloth ;  2  old  dublett  and  a 
paire  of  briches  a  short  coate  and  an  old  stuffe  diiblit  and  a  wast- 
coate ;  2  paire  of  stockens ;  2  hates  a  black  one  and  a  coullered 
one;  i  great  chaire  and  2  wrought  stooles;  a  carved  chist;  a 
table ; 

The  Plate. 

One  great  beer  bowle ;  another  great  beer  bowle ;  2  wine  cups ; 
a  salt;  the  trencher  salt;  and  a  drame  cup;  4  silver  spoones;  9 
silver  spoones. 

In  the  Studdie. 

8  paire  of  shoes  of  the  12  s. ;  6  paire  of  shoes  of  the  10  s. ;  one 
paire  of  the  eights ;  3  paire  of  the  sixes ;  I  paire  of  the  fives  I 
paire  of  the  45.  I  paire  of  the  35. ;  4  yards  and  a  half  of  linnen 
woolcye;  3  remnants  of  English  cotten ;  3  yards  and  a  halfe  of 
bayes;  17  yards  of  course  English  moheer;  4  yards  and  3  quar- 
ters of  purpetuanna ;  18  yards  of  kid  penistone ;  5  yards  of  broad- 
cloth; 2  yards  of  broadcloth;  2  and  one  half  yards  of  olive  cul- 
lered  carsye;  a  yard  and  a  halfe  of  whitish  carsye;  4  yards  of 
Gray  carsye ;  5  yards  and  a  halfe  of  kid  carsye ;  4  yards  and  a 
quarter  of  carsey  ollive  coullered;  7  yards  of  carsay  sod  coul- 
lered; 6  yards  of  kid  plaine;  9  yards  and  a  halfe  of  kid  plaine; 
6  yards  of  holland ;  a  remnant  of  cushening ;  7  smale  moose 
skins;  in  cash  £151  95.  6d. ;  his  deske;  2  casks  with  some  empty 
bottles;  3  or  4  old  cases." 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    99 

Then  comes  the  list  of  his  books,  largely  religious, 
and  of  the  live  stock,  and  items  of  what  was  owing 
the  estate,  over  three  hundred  pounds,  and  the  list  of 
the  "  parcells  "  of  land. 

Even  at  this  date  the  estate  seems  a  worthy 
one,  as  indeed  it  had  need  to  be  to  care  for  so  many 
people. 

Long  Island  had  some  settlers  of  means,  and  when 
Thomas  Sayre  died  in  1669  at  Southampton,  he  left 
his  son  Francis  real  estate  and  "  a  Pewter  Flagon, 
a  Pewter  Bowl,  and  a  great  Pewter  Platter."  The 
house  of  this  same  Thomas  Sayre  is  still  standing, 
and  is  now  the  oldest  house  in  the  State. 

In  1 68 1  the  inventory  of  Nathaniel  Sylvester,  of 
Shelter  Island,  was  filed ;  among  other  things  he  leaves 
two  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of  pewter  valued  at 
£14,  one  Turkey-wrought  carpet  £i.  ios.,  and  one- 
half  Shelter  Island,  valued  at  £700. 

In  1676  James  Briggs,  of  Scituate,  complained  that 
Constable  Jenkins  had  taken  from  his  house  a  pewter 
basin  without  first  making  a  legal  demand  for  his 
claim.  The  court  ordered  Jenkins  to  pay  sixpence 
damages,  and  costs,  and  to  restore  the  basin,  or  to 
pay  seven  shillings  in  silver  as  an  equivalent.  The 
basin  must  have  been  a  fine  one,  as  at  that  time  money 
had  four  times  its  present  value. 

There  was  filed  in  Boston  an  inventory  of  a  pew- 
terer  who  had  in  his  shop  2,782  pounds  of  pewter, 
which,  with  the  dishes  and  basins  in  stock,  was  valued 
at  £235  us.  4d.  He  had  in  addition  alchemy  spoons, 
spooning  pewter,  tankards,  milk-cans,  warming-pans, 


roo          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

kettles,  skillets,  frying-pans,  cow-bells,  and  bellows, — 
these  latter  of  copper  and  brass. 

One  of  the  most  frequently  made,  and  yet  one  of 
the  least  common  objects  to  find  now,  is  a  pewter 
spoon.  The  reason  is  not  far  to  seek,  since,  besides 
the  visiting  tinker  who  melted  down  all  broken  pewter 
and  then  recast  it,  there  was  hardly  a  village  where 
some  family  did  not  own  a  mould  for  re-running  their 
spoons.  Of  course  they  were  willing  to  lend  it  to  their 
neighbours,  and  there  is  one  town  on  record  where 
all  the  spoons  in  it  were  marked  with  the  same  letter, 
since  the  family  who  owned  the  mould  had  on  the 
handle  the  letter  "  L,"  the  initial  of  their  last  name. 

The  spoon  is  an  article  so  venerable  that  for  its 
first  mention  one  has  to  seek  out  Egyptian  records. 
A  shell  is  supposed  to  have  suggested  its  first  shape. 
The  earliest  step  in  its  development  was  to  mount 
this  shell  on  a  handle,  and  it  is  interesting  to  observe 
that  in  the  Connecticut  valley  the  early  settlers  inserted 
a  clam-shell  into  a  cleft  stick,  and  found  that  this 
answered  all  the  purposes  for  which  spoons  were  made. 
The  second  step  in  the  history  of  the  spoon's  growth 
was  to  fashion  the  whole  object  in  one  piece, —  it 
mattered  not  whether  it  was  made  out  of  bone,  wood, 
or  metal;  while  during  the  fanciful  and  elegant  Re- 
naissance, rare  shells,  glass,  ivory,  and  agate  bowls 
were  attached  to  handles  of  metal  set  with  jewels  or 
delicately  wrought  of  silver  or  gold. 

The  earlier  the  spoon,  the  more  nearly  the  bowl 
approaches  the  shape  of  the  plover's  egg,  the  pointed 
end  being  toward  the  handle.  In  the  very  early  spoons 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER   101 

the  bowl  was  below  the  level  of  the  handle,  but  by  the 
fifteenth  century  this  difference  of  levels  had  disap- 
peared. The  handles  in  Gothic  times  were  square- 
sided,  the  tops  terminating  in  an  ornament  like  an 
acorn,  or  a  diamond  knob,  a  lion's  or  a  human  head, 
and  even  such  whole  figures  as  those  of  the  Apostles, 
and  finally  what  was  known  as  the  "  seal-top,"  on  which 
the  initials  of  the  owner  could  easily  be  cut.  From 
1550  to  1680  the  seal-top  spoon  was  the  most  common 
pattern,  although  the  Apostle  spoon  also  held  its  own. 
A  complete  set  of  these  consisted  of  thirteen  spoons, 
with  the  Master  spoon  in  addition  to  the  twelve 
Apostles.  On  many  of  the  spoons  in  the  last  half  of 
the  sixteenth  century  the  figures  were  removed  to  meet 
the  rigid  ideas  of  the  new  Protestant  religion,  and 
later  this  fashion  was  revived  by  the  Puritans. 

Within  the  last  few  months  one  of  these  spoons  in 
pewter  has  been  recovered  from  the  bottom  of  the 
Thames,  at  London.     The  bowl  is  of  the  plover's-egg 
shape,  but  instead  of  having  on  the  top  an  Apostle's  fig- 
ure it  is  ornamented  with  a  woman's  head  dressed  in  the 
fashion  of  the  early  part  of  the  fifteenth  century,  when 
the  hair  was  arranged  in  two  horns,  over  which  was 
a  head-dress  of  gold  thread  and  jewels.     The  head 
of  the  spoon  is  still  in  good  condition,  a|id  jtbe;  spoon    \J: 
dates  to  the  time  of  Henry  V  (141371422),     .Three.,,  ., 
more  examples  of  this  kind  of  spoon  «u>e;knawn;'  6nfe*'>  > 
of  which  is  in  the  British  Museum. 

The  form  of  the  spoon  does  not  lend  itself  much 
to  decoration,  and  when  all  known  devices  for  orna- 
menting the  handle  had  been  exhausted,  a  novelty  from 


102          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

France  was  introduced  by  Charles  II  about  1665,  and 
was  eagerly  welcomed.  This  necessitated  an  entire 
change  in  the  whole  form  of  the  spoon:  the  bowl 
became  an  oval;  the  handle  was  made  quite  flat,  and 
the  top  of  it  was  broadened  out  and  cleft  into  a  rude 
resemblance  to  a  hind's  foot.  The  shape  was  called 
in  France,  "  pied  de  biche,"  while,  for  no  apparent 
reason,  it  was  known  in  England  as  the  "  fish-tail." 
The  bowls  of  these  spoons  are  level  with  the  handle, 
and  are  made  strong  where  the  handle  joins  the  bowl, 
by  a  continuation  of  the  handle,  which  is  known  as  a 
"  rat-tail." 

In  the  beginning  this  rat-tail  was  contrived  for 
strength  only,  and  was  perhaps  suggested  by  the  com- 
bined fork  and  spoon.  This  object  had  a  movable 
spoon-bowl  which  fitted  into  the  handle  of  the  fork, 
the  prongs  of  which  folded  back  out  of  the  way.  The 
tail  was  a  very  ornamental  feature  in  the  early  spoons, 
being  beaded  and  decorated  in  various  ways,  and  such 
spoons  continued  to  be  made  down  to  Queen  Anne's 
reign,  when  little  by  little  the  fish-tail  on  the  handle 
was  omitted,  the  bowl  became  deeper,  and  the  handle 
was  rounded  forward  and  took  the  shape  to  which  we 
are  accustomed.  The  rat-tail  was  first  seen  about  1660 
gfef  iseVenty  or  eighty  years,  when  at  length  its 
;was  ^takqn  by  a  simple  scroll,  and  the  bowl 
'becam^poititeefas  in  the  modern  spoon. 

Two  spoons  are  shown  in  Figure  39.  The  one  with 
the  round  bowl  came  from  Ghent  and  is  marked  H.K. 
in  the  crown,  which  is  above  a  rose.  It  is  the  finest 
piece  of  pewter  I  have  ever  seen.  It  has  a  smoothness 


Fig.  38.     THE  PIRLEY  PIG 


Fig.    39.     PEWTER    SPOONS 
Belonging   to    the   writer 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    103 

to  the  touch,  and  takes  a  brilliancy  of  polish,  which  are 
not  often  found.  Its  bowl  is  hammered,  the  handle 
squared,  and  running  down  over  the  bowl  is  a  heavy 
rat-tail.  Its  period  is  about  1700,  and  it  was  not  of 
the  small  size  which  we  use  now,  for  its  bowl  measures 
two  and  a  half  inches  across,  and  the  handle  is  six 
inches  long. 

The  other  spoon  has  the  exact  shape  as  to  handle 
and  bowl  which  was  in  use  in  silver  about  1710,  but  is 
of  a  later  period  than  this.  It  has  no  mark  except  a 
blurred  star  in  the  bowl,  there  is  a  large  preponderance 
of  lead  in  its  composition,  and  it  is  rough  in  every 
way.  It  came  from  Kennebunkport,  Me.,  and  is 
possibly  eighty  or  one  hundred  years  old  and  of 
domestic  make.  It  was  probably  run  in  a  mould  taken 
from  a  silver  spoon,  these  articles  being  somewhat 
rare  in  the  equipment  of  the  colonists.  Anyone  who 
had  a  silver  spoon  was  no  doubt  willing  to  lend  it  for 
the  purpose  of  making  a  plaster  mould  from  which 
an  iron  or  brass  mould  could  be  made,  the  former 
metal  being  generally  used,  though  there  were  some 
of  brass.  I  have  seen  both. 

There  were  no  pewter  forks,  for  the  alloy  was  not 
stiff  enough  to  make  it  available.  But  their  lack 
troubled  our  ancestors  little;  fingers  and  the  blade  of 
the  knife  were  enough  for  them,  and  the  first  dated 
set  of  English  silver  forks  were  of  the  year  1667, 
though  there  were  single  forks  before  this*  The  lack 
of  these  utensils  explains  the  abundance  of  napery 
which  we  find  in  all  old  inventories.  Observe  how 
much  Governor  Bradford  had.  It  also  explains  the 


io4  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

presence  of  that  bowl  known  as  the  "  rose-water  dish," 
which  in  silver  was  choicely  engraved  and  decorated, 
while  in  pewter  it  was  most  often  but  a  simple  bowl, 
either  with  or  without  some  wriggled  work  or-engrav- 
ing  on  it. 

One  of  the  great  uses  to  which  pewter  was  put  in 
America  as  well  as  England  was  for  vessels  for  tavern 
use.  Sleeping-accommodations  might  be  scant  enough, 
but  there  were  drinking-vessels  enough  for  the  men 
of  the  neighbourhood  who  gathered  there,  and  for  the 
occasional  traveller,  and  tankards,  mugs,  beakers,  and 
hot-water  cans  are  frequently  mentioned. 

The  "  Black  Horse  Tavern,"  of  Salem,  Mass.,  was 
a  famous  one  in  its  day,  and  when  William  Trask, 
its  owner,  died  in  1691,  he  left  the  following  property: 

£  s.  d. 
Impr.  A  dwelling  house,  I  barn,  one  orchyard  and 

marsh  adjoyning no  oo  oo 

Parlour.  I  standing  bedsted  &  father  bed  & 

beding  6  oo  oo 

I  trundle  bedsted,  fether  bed  &  beding 4  oo  oo 

I  long  table  &  forme  12  oo 

I  Cupbord  in  the  Parlor,  8  chairs,  I  wainscot  chist, 

and  box,  warming  pan I  10  oo 

V/eareing  apparel,  i  pr  Irons  &  tongs,  12  glass 

bottles,  i  psle  flax  &  yarn 8    05    oo 

Goods  in  Kitchen. 

Brass  &  Pewter.  2  Iron  potts,  Prp.  Iron  doggs,  2  hakes  pr 
tongs,  grid  iron  fryeing  pan  &  spitt. 

In  the  Chambers. 

i  old  fether  bed  &  beding,  12  yds  new  homemade  cloth 
books. 

To  his  share  in  Mill. 

5  acres  of  upland  in  ye  north  field,  etc. 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER  105 

It  may  be  seen  from  this  how  few  travellers  it  was 
expected  that  the  innkeeper  should  entertain  over 
night,  and  indeed  there  was  small  profit  in  such  busi- 
ness at  first,  since  the  landlord  had  to  give  to  the 
selectmen  the  names  of  all  such  strangers  as  wished 
for  "  vitals,  beare  and  lodgen,"  and  if  their  credentials 
were  not  satisfactory  they  were  warned  from  the  town. 
The  records  of  the  old  towns,  particularly  of  those  in 
New  England,  are  bristling  with  rules  and  regulations 
as  to  the  privileges  of  the  landlord,  the  prices  he  could 
ask  for  his  goods,  and  the  guests  he  could  entertain. 
For  he  could  not  "  knowingly  harbour  in  house,  barn, 
or  stable,  any  rogues,  vagabonds,  thieves,  sturdy  beg- 
gars, masterless  men  or  women,"  and  those  delightful 
busybodies,  the  selectmen,  decreed  how  much  he  should 
charge  for  every  meal,  as  well  as  for  each  cup  of  sack 
or  strong  waters. 

Two  wills  which  are  of  peculiar  interest  to  all 
Americans  are  given  in  the  following  pages,  as  they 
are  valuable  records  of  what  composed  the  property 
of  the  well-to-do  Virginia  family  in  the  first  and  last 
quarters  of  the  eighteenth  century.  The  first  is  that 
of  Mrs.  Mary  Hewes,  the  grandmother  of  General 
George  Washington,  and  it  is  dated  1721.  The  second 
comes  nearer  to  our  greatest  hero,  and  is  the  will  of 
his  mother,  an  elegant  old  lady  about  whom  Sparks 
started  many  stories  which  have  no  more  truth  in  them 
than  the  famous  "  cherry-tree  tale."  The  will  of  Mrs. 
Washington  was  dated  1788,  and  shows  what  an 
advance  had  been  made  in  sixty-seven  years  in  the 
comfort  and  convenience  of  our  dwellings  and  their 


io6        OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,     ETC. 

equipment.  Pewter  holds  its  own  in  both  wills,  as 
may  be  seen,  and  it  was  still  accounted  a  valuable  asset, 
since  Mrs.  Washington  mentions  it  specifically  and  con- 
siders half  of  what  she  had  enough  for  one  bequest. 
The  will  of  Mrs.  Hewes  leaves  to  her  daughter,  Mary 
Ball,  the  best  part  of  her  estate,  although  there  were 
other  children  by  another  husband.  There  were 
elegances  provided  for  the  young  girl,  and  her  edu- 
cation was  to  be  looked  after,  as  befitted  one  of  gentle 
birth.  The  will  can  speak  for  itself. 

"  First,  I  give  and  bequeath  my  soul  to  God  that  gave  it  me, 
and  my  body  to  the  Earth  to  be  buried  in  Decent  Christian  burial 
at  the  discretion  of  my  executors  in  these  presents  nominated. 
And  as  touching  such  Worldly  estate  which  it  hath  pleased 
God  to  bestow  upon  me,  I  give,  devise  and  dispose  of  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  and  form. 

Imprimis,  I  give  and  devise  unto  my  Daughter  Mary  Ball  one 
young  likely  negro  woman  to  be  purchased  for  her  out  of  my 
Estate  by  my  Executors,  and  to  be  delivered  unto  her  the  said 
Mary  Ball  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years,  but,  my  will  is  that  if  the 
said  Mary  Ball  should  dye  without  Issue  lawfully  begotten  of  her 
body,  that  the  same  negro  woman  and  her  increase  shall  return 
to  my  loving  son  John  Johnson,  to  him,  his  heirs  and  assigns 
for  ever. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  Daughter  Mary 
Ball  one  young  mare  and  her  increase  which  said  mare  I  for- 
merly gave  her  by  word  of  mouth. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  daughter  Mary  Ball 
two  gold  rings,  the  one  being  a  large  hoop  and  the  other  a  stoned 
ring. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  daughter  Mary  Ball 
sufficient  furniture  for  the  bed  her  father  Joseph  Ball  left  her, 
vizt;  One  suit  of  good  curtains  and  fallens,  one  Rugg,  one  Quilt, 
one  pair  Blanketts. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  daughter  Mary 
Ball  two  diaper  table  cluths  marked  M.  B.  with  inck,  and  one 


Fig.   40.      EWKR    AND   BASIN 
Collection  of  the  late  Mrs.  Merchant 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER  107 

dozen  of  Diaper  napkins,  two  towels,  six  plates,  two  pewter 
dishes,  two  basins,  one  large  iron  pott,  one  Frying  pan,  one  old 
trunk. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  said  daughter  Mary 
Ball,  one  young  Paceing  horse  together  with  a  good  silk  plush 
side  saddle  to  be  purchased  by  my  Executors  out  of  my  estate. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  daughter  Elizabeth  Bonum 
one  suit  of  white  and  black  callico,  being  part  of  my  own  wearing 
apparel. 

"Item.  All  the  rest  of  my  wearing  apparel  I  give  and  be- 
queath unto  my  said  Daughter  Mary  Ball,  and  I  do  hereby  ap- 
point her  to  be  under  Tutilage  and  Government  of  Captain  George 
Eskridge,  during  her  minority. 

"Item.  My  will  is  I  do  hereby  oblige  my  Executors  to  pay  to 
the  proprietor  or  his  agent  for  the  securing  of  my  said  Daughter 
Mary  Ball  her  land  Twelve  pounds  if  so  much  be  due. 

"  Item.  All  the  rest  of  my  Estate  real  and  personal  whatso- 
ever and  wheresoever,  I  give  and  devise  unto  my  son  John  John- 
son, and  to  his  heirs  lawfully  begotten  of  his  body,  and  for 
default  of  said  Issue,  I  give  and  bequeath  the  said  Estate 
unto  my  Daughter  Elizabeth  Bonum,  her  heirs  and  assigns 
forever. 

"Item.  I  do  hereby  appoint  my  son  John  Johnson  and  my 
trusty  and  well  beloved  friend  George  Eskridge,  Executors  of 
this  my  last  will  and  Testament  and  also  revoke  and  Disannul  all 
other  former  wills  or  Testaments  by  me  heretofore  made  or 
caused  to  be  made  either  by  word  or  writing,  ratifying  and  con- 
firming this  to  be  my  last  Will  and  Testament  and  no  other. 

In  witness  whereof  I  have  hereunto  sett  my  hand  and  seal  the 
Day  and  Date  at  first  above  written. 

"The  mark  and  seal  of  Mary  III  Hewes.    Sig.     [Seal.] 

"  Signed,  Sealed  and  Published  and  Declared  by  Mary  Hewes 
to  be  her  last  Will  and  Testament  in  presence  of  us. 

"The  mark  of  Robert    X     Bradley. 
"The   mark   of   Ralph    X     Smithhurst. 
"  David  Straughan." 

Mrs.  Mary  Washington  [the  Mary  Ball  mentioned 
above]  was  a  notable  housekeeper  and  looked  well 
after  the  ways  of  her  household.  She  had  some  hand- 


io8  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

some  furniture,  more  silver  than  was  usual  in  even 
Virginia  homes  of  that  date,  and  when  she  died  in 
1788  her  will,  which  was  registered  in  the  Clerk's 
Office  at  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  shows  how  much  she 
had  to  bequeath. 

"  In  the  name  of  God !  Amen !  I,  Mary  Washington  of 
Fredericksburg,  in  the  County  of  Spotssylvania,  being  in  good 
health,  but  calling  to  mind  the  uncertainty  of  this  life,  and  will- 
ing to  dispose  of  what  remains  of  my  Worldly  Estate,  do  make 
and  publish  this,  my  last  will,  recommending  my  soul  into  the 
hands  of  my  Creator,  hoping  for  a  remission  of  all  my  sins 
through  the  merits  and  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Saviour 
of  mankind ;  I  dispose  of  my  worldly  estate  as  follows : 

"  Imprimis.  I  give  to  my  son  General  George  Washington,  all 
my  land  in  Accokeek  Run,  in  the  County  of  Stafford,  and  also 
my  negro  boy  George,  to  him  and  his  heirs  for  ever.  Also  my 
best  bed,  bedstead  and  Virginia  cloth  curtains  (the  same  that 
stands  in  my  best  bedroom),  my  quilted  blue  and  white  quilt  and. 
my  best  dressing  glass. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  son  Charles  Washington,  my 
negro  man  Tom,  to  him  and  his  assigns  forever. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  daughter  Betty  Lewis,  my 
phaeton  and  my  bay  horse. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  daughter-in-law  Hannah 
Washington,  my  purple  cloth  cloak  lined  with  shag. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  grandson,  Corbin  Washing- 
ton, my  negro  wench  old  Bett,  my  riding  chair,  and  two  black 
horses,  to  him  and  his  assigns  for  ever. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  grandson  Fielding  Lewis,  my 
negro  man  Frederick,  to  him  and  his  assigns  for  ever,  also  eight 
silver  table  spoons,  half  of  my  crockery-ware,  and  the  blue  and 
white  tea  china,  with  bookcase,  oval  table,  one  bedstead,  one  pair 
sheets,  one  pair  blankets  and  white  cotton  counterpaine,  two 
table  cloths,  six  red  leather  chairs,  half  of  my  peuter,  and  one 
half  of  my  kitchen  furniture. 

"  Item.  I  give  and  devise  to  my  grandson  Lawrence  Lewis,  my 
negro  wench  Lydia,  to  him  and  his  assigns  forever. 

"  Item.    I  give  and  devise  to  my  granddaughter  Bettie  Curtis, 


Fig.   41.        AM  EH  I  CAN   1'EWTER   PITCHER 
Collection  of  Mr.   Haiti  win  Cooliilye 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER  109 

my  negro  woman  little  Bett,  and  her  further  increase,  to  her  and 
her  assigns  forever.  Also  my  largest  looking-glass,  my  walnut 
writing-desk  and  drawers,  a  square  dining-table,  one  bed,  bed- 
stead, bolster,  one  pillow,  one  pair  sheets  one  blanket  and  coun- 
terpain. 

"  Item.  I  devise  all  my  wearing  apparel  to  be  equally  divided 
between  my  granddaughters  Bettie  Curtis  and  Fannie  Ball,  and 
Milly  Washington,  but  should  my  daughter  Bettie  Lewis  fancy 
any  one  or  two  or  three  articles,  she  is  to  have  them  before  di- 
vision thereof. 

Lastly  I  nominate  and  appoint  my  said  son  General  George 
Washington,  executor  of  this  my  will,  and  as  I  owe  few  or  no 
debts,  I  direct  my  executor  to  give  no  security  or  appraise  my 
estate,  but  desire  that  the  same  may  be  allotted  to  my  devises,  with 
as  little  trouble  and  delay  as  may  be  desiring  their  acceptance 
there  of,  as  all  the  token  I  now  have  to  give  them  of  my  love 
for  them. 

"  In  witness  thereof  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  seal,  the 
20th.  day  of  May,  1788. 

Mary  Washington." 

In  some  of  the  inventories  and  records  which  I 
have  quoted,  mention  is  made  of  ewers  and  basins,  but 
they  do  not  always  seem  to  be  part  of  the  same  set. 
There  were  such  sets,  however,  sometimes  consisting 
of  other  objects  besides  the  ewers  and  basins,  and  I 
find  that  many  of  these  sets  were  made  in  America. 
It  is  most  difficult  to  tell  how  much  and  what  forms 
of  pewter  were  made  here,  since  there  were  no  regula- 
tions regarding  the  making  of  it;  no  standard  of 
fineness  to  be  kept  up,  as  there  was  abroad;  and  any 
journeyman  tinker  who  had  the  tools  and  the  moulds 
could  re-run  it.  Of  course  on  such  pieces  there  would 
be  no  mark.  Then  the  Revolution  came  along,  and 
what  pewter  was  not  absolutely  demanded  for  daily 
use  was  cheerfully  given  up  and  cast  into  the  melting- 


no          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

pot,  to  be  run  into  bullets.  The  ardent  patriot  who 
rocked  the  cradle  went  to  the  limit  of  her  power  to 
give,  and  even  at  a  pinch  gave  up  those  articles  which 
she  had  deemed  indispensable,  and  their  places  were 
rilled  by  bowls  and  trenchers  of  wood,  which  were 
whittled  out  by  the  boys  and  young  men,  and  smoothed 
down  by  the  active  hands  of  the  women,  and  polished 
by  being  rubbed  with  broken  glass  and  sand.  "  Knot 
bowls  "  were  held  in  much  esteem  in  Revolutionary 
times,  and  there  were  men  who  made  a  business  of 
making  them,  the  persons  who  wished  the  articles  gen- 
erally furnishing  the  knots,  which  were  preferably  from 
apple-wood. 

In  "  The  Collector's  Manual  "  I  have  spoken  of  the 
use  to  which  the  lead  statue  of  George  III,  which  stood 
on  Bowling  Green,  New  York  city,  was  put,  and  lead 
roofs  went  the  same  way,  the  call  for  bullets  always 
being  cheerfully  responded  to, — even  the  lead  plates 
on  tombstones  being  pried  out  and  melted  up.  Ewers 
and  basins  were  perhaps  considered  among  the  frills 
which  could  be  easily  dispensed  with,  since  the  well 
always  remained  at  hand,  and  there  was  too  much 
good  pewter  in  these  articles  to  escape.  Only  a  few 
have  come  down,  and  an  ewer  and  basin  in  good  order 
are  shown  in  Figure  40.  The  ewer  held  about  a  gallon, 
and  the  basin  was  of  that  tiny  pattern  which  was  so 
closely  followed  by  the  makers  of  Old  Blue  china. 
It  looks  absolutely  infantile  in  these  days  of  generous 
toilet  sets.  The  basin  in  this  set  is  a  fine  piece,  made 
according  to  the  English  rule,  and  well  hammered, 
the  marks  of  the  mallet  showing  plainly  in  the  photo- 


Fig.  42. 


AMERICAN  PEWTER.     REED  AND  BARTON. 
NINETEENTH  CENTURY 


EARLY 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER    in 

graph.  These  pieces  are  unmarked,  but  there  are 
others  scattered  about  the  country,  and  generally  the 
ewer  and  basin  have  become  separated.  I  find  more 
ewers  than  basins. 

Many  of  these  pieces  are  marked  "  Boardman," 
some  of  them  "  Thomas  Boardman,"  who  was  a  well- 
known  London  pewterer  in  the  latter  half  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  Others  are  marked  "  Boardman 
and  Hart,  N.  York."  I  have  seen  quite  a  number  of 
pieces — cups,  mugs,  and  small  pitchers — marked 
"  Boardman,"  or  "  Boardman  and  Co.,  New  York." 
The  marks  on  their  pieces  have  curious  variations, 
some  having,  besides  the  name,  a  circle  about  the  size 
of  a  ten-cent  piece,  inside  of  which  is  an  eagle  with 
spread  wings  grasping  a  sheaf  of  thunderbolts.  In 
other  cases  the  mark  is  an  oval  about  the  same  size 
as  the  one  previously  spoken  of,  and  in  this  is  an  eagle 
also,  but  with  drooping  wings,  the  most  forlorn  bird 
that  ever  was  seen.  Why  the  change? 

Now,  Timothy  Boardman  &  Company  were  dealers 
in  pewter  and  block  tin  at  178  Water  Street,  New 
York,  in  1824.  The  firm  was  Boardman  &  Hart,  at 
the  same  address,  in  1828.  By  1832  they  had  moved 
to  6  Burling  Slip,  and  they  were  there  until  1841,  at 
which  time  the  pewter  was  dropped  from  their  business 
and  they  called  themselves  makers  of  Britannia  Ware. 
In  fact  1841  is  the  last  year  in  which  the  trade  of 
pewterer  appears  in  the  New  York  City  Directory, 
and  the  trade  gradually  died  out  at  about  the  same  time 
all  over  the  country. 

Another  interesting  mark  is  Hamlin,  New  York; 


ii2         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

this  was  prior  to  1786.     The  touch  is  an  eagle  with 
spread  wings,  and  over  the  eagle  thirteen  stars. 

In  New  York  in  1743  appeared  the  following  adver- 
tisement : 

"John  Halden,  braiser  from  London,  near  the  old  slip  Market 
in  New  York,  makes  and  sells  all  sorts  of  copper  and  brass 
kettles,  tea  kettles,  coffee  potts,  pye  pans,  warming  pans,  and  all 
sorts  of  copper  and  brass  ware,  also  sells  all  sorts  of  hard  metal 
and  pewter  wares." 

The  next  year  (1744)  James  Ledclel,  at  the  "Sign 
of  the  Platter,"  in  Dock  Street,  sold  pewter.  In  the 
end  of  this  same  year  he  moved  to  the  end  of  Wall 
Street. 

Robert  Boyle,  in  1745,  called  his  shop  the  "  Sign  of 
the  Gilt  Dish,"  he  had  his  shop  in  Dock  Street  too, 
William  Bradford  had  his  shop  in  Hanover  Square. 

In  the  first  New  York  Directory,  published  in  the 
year  1786,  and  which  is  about  the  size  of  an  "Old 
Farmer's  Almanac,"  the  names  of  Francis  Bassett, 
218  Queen  Street;  Henry  Will,  3  Water  Street,  and 
William  Kirkby,  23  Dock  Street,  are  the  only  ones  of 
pewterers.  In  1794  the  trade  of  pewterer  was  for  the 
first  time  combined  with  that  of  plumber,  and  Malcolm 
M'Ewen  &  Son,  corner  of  Water  Street  and  Beekman 
Slip,  was  the  first  firm  to  advertise  it.  William 
Kirkby,  who  was  mentioned  as  one  of  the  three  pew- 
terers who  were  put  down  in  the  first  Directory,  adver- 
tised in  the  "  Mercury  "  that  he  would  take  old  pew- 
ter or  beeswax  in  exchange  for  new  pewter  or  hard 
metal. 

Among  the  early  New  England  names  of  men  who 


Fi"    43.      AMERICAN  PEWTER.      REED  AND  BARTON. 
NINETEENTH  CENTURY 


EARLY 


ENGLISH    AND    AMERICAN    PEWTER  113 

carried  on  the  trade  of  pewterers  were  those  of  Rich- 
ard Graves,  who  established  himself  in  Salem,  Mass., 
and  Henry  Shrimpton,  of  Boston,  was  a  well-known 
pewter  merchant. 

Figure  41  is  a  piece  of  American  pewter  made  by 
Romans  &  Co.,  Cincinnati.  It  is  a  pitcher  seven  and 
a  half  inches  high,  of  a  good  grade  of  pewter  and  of 
good  form,  somewhat  in  the  style  of  the  old  tankards, 
though  the  cover  has  a  rising  top,  which  is  never  seen 
on  very  early  specimens;  but  it  is  interesting  as  being 
one  of  the  rarely  found  American  marked  specimens. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  there 
were  silversmiths  who  practised  the  art  of  pewter- 
making  as  well.  Reed  &  Barton,  of  New  York,  was 
such  a  firm,  and  they  made  much  good  ware  of  all  the 
useful  articles, — small  pitchers,  mugs,  mustard-pots, 
etc.  It  is  interesting  to  learn  that  this  firm  is  reviving 
the  making  of  pewter,  using  their  old  moulds  for  the 
purpose. 

In  England  the  manufacture  of  pewter  has  never 
whollv  died,  but  it  is  confined  to  a  few  firms,  one  of  the 
largest  being  Brown  &  Englefield,  of  London.  Its 
ware  embraces  many  kinds  of  moulds  for  jellies,  jugs 
for  hot  water,  pepper-pots,  and  plates. 

I  am  frequently  asked  the  prices  of  old  pewter  plates 
and  dishes.  It  is  hard  to  give  any  definite  figures,  for 
under  the  excitement  of  the  auction-room  larger  prices 
are  often  given  than  can  be  commanded  at  private 
sale.  Plates  in  good  condition,  8,  9,  10,  or  n  inches 
in  diameter,  should  bring  from  $1.25  to  $2.50  each. 
Larger-sized  round  plates  and  trenchers,  12,  14,  or 


ii4          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

1 6  inches  in  diameter,  are  worth  from  $3  to  $6  apiece, 
while  those  measuring  20  inches  and  more  are  worth 
from  $6  to  $10.  Embossed,  and  engraved,  or  wrig- 
gled-work  pieces  are  worth  considerably  more. 

Museums,  as  a  rule,  do  not  have  their  pewter 
cleaned,  and  this  example  is  followed  by  most  English 
collectors.  If,  however,  you  prefer  yours  bright,  and 
you  have  found  it  in  a  bad  condition,  a  good  plan  is  to 
soak  it  in  hot  water  in  which  a  small  quantity  of  pot- 
ash (a  piece  as  large  as  a  hickory-nut  to  a  quart  of 
water)  has  been  perfectly  dissolved.  The  pewter  can 
remain  in  the  water  a  day  or  two  without  injury. 
Then  rub  the  pieces  very  carefully  with  a  cork  dipped 
in  oil  and  a  little  of  the  finest  sand,  and  polish  with 
a  chamois-skin  and  whitening.  Personally  I  do  not 
indorse  the  use  of  the  sand,  but  it  is  often  employed. 
You  can  keep  your  pewter  bright  by  washing  it 
frequently  in  hot  soap  and  water,  and  rubbing  with 
whitening.  This,  of  course,  is  after  you  have  once  got 
it  polished  up. 


r 

^^^^^^^^^^^i^^^^^j^^^^^^^^ 


Fig.  44.     GENERAL    WASHINGTON'S     STRONG,    KOX,     MESS-  >>>   , 

CHEST   WITH   PEWTER   UTENSILS   AND  BELLOWS  ,  , 
National  Museum,  Washington,  D.  £./  ',    ' 


PART  III 

BRASS    WARE 


PART   III 

BRASS    WARE 

IT  is  not  easy  to  decide  just  when  the  first  use  of  brass, 
as  we  understand  the  term,  began,  or  where.  We  read 
that  a  "  brazen  "  bull  was  cast  by  Perillus,  of  Athens, 
for  Phalaris,  of  Agrigentum,  in  570  B.C.  It  was  made 
hollow,  to  receive  victims  who  were  to  be  roasted, 
and  the  throat  was  so  contrived  as  to  make  their 
groans  seem  like  the  bellowings  of  the  animal.  The 
artist  was  made  its  first  victim  (possibly  so  that  he 
should  not  make  such  another  work  of  art),  and 
eventually  the  king  himself  was  obliged  to  try  it  in 
his  own  person !  This  was  in  549  B.C. 

The  term  "  brass  "  is  frequently  employed  in  the 
Scriptures  from  the  time  of  Job  down,  yet  there  is 
nothing  to  indicate  that  it  was  the  alloy  with  which  we 
are  familiar  in  modern  times.  In  fact  it  seems  that 
the  first  makers  of  brass  as  we  know  it  were  the 
Romans,  for  they  made  and  used  a  compound  which 
they  called  auricalchum,  which  seems  to  have  possessed 
the  properties  of  what  we  call  brass.  It  was  through 
the  conquests  of  this  people  that  its  use  and  the 
knowledge  of  its  composition  was  extended  through 
Europe. 

The  earliest  traces  of  its  use  in  England  are  those 

117 


ii8         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

quaint  mediaeval  monuments  called  "  brasses,"  which 
are  found  over  the  tombs  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical 
dignitaries.  These  brasses,  though  none  are  repre- 
sented in  this  book,  are  worthy  a  note  just  here,  since 
they  are  the  earliest  form  of  brass  extant.  The  oldest 
specimens  date  back  to  the  first  half  of  the  thirteenth 
century,  when  they  gradually  displaced  the  tombs  and 
effigies  carved  in  stone,  which  had  made  such  con- 
spicuous features  in  the  churches  up  to  that  time. 
The  brasses  were  of  Latten,  or  hard  brass,  and  were 
frequently  set  into  the  pavement  of  the  churches,  thus 
taking  up  no  room,  and  for  that  reason  becoming  very 
popular. 

Although  the  value  of  the  metal  contributed  to  the 
wholesale  destruction  of  these  brasses,  very  many 
specimens  are  still  found  in  England,  and  they  were 
at  one  time  common  in  France,  Flanders,  and  Ger- 
many. The  Reign  of  Terror  in  France  swept  away 
the  brasses  as  it  did  so  many  other  valuable  objects, 
but  in  Germany  there  may  still  be  found  instances 
which  go  back  to  the  thirteenth  century,  such  as  that 
£>f  the  Bishop  of  Verdun  (1231). 
:  In  England  the  best  known  of  the  thirteenth-century 
brasses  is  that  of  Sir  Roger  de  Trumpington  (1290), 
who  went  to  Palestine  with  Prince  Edward  (after- 
ward Edward  I).  He  is  represented  as  cross-legged, 
showing,  so  the  theory  is,  that  he  had  been  to  the 
Holy  Land.  Six  or  seven  more  such  instances  are 
known.  Fourteenth-century  brasses  are  more  com- 
mon, and  in  the  sixteenth  century  the  representations 
became  portraits. 


.  45.  ENGLISH  BRASS 


ASS  KNOCKER  Fig.  46.  AMERICAN,  BRASS  KNOCK EH 


BRASSWARE  119 

Brasses  cut  in  Flanders  are  by  no  means  common  in 
England,  though  they  do  occur,  and  they  can  be  easily 
distinguished  from  those  of  English  workmanship. 
The  Flemish  brasses  had  the  figures  engraved  in  the 
centre  of  a  large  plate,  the  background  being  filled  in 
with  a  scroll  or  diapered  work.  The  English  figures, 
on  the  other  hand,  were  cut  in  outline,  and  set  into 
a  corresponding  depression  in  the  stone.  A  few 
Flemish-made  cut  brasses  are  known,  but  their  work 
was  more  florid  in  design,  the  lines  were  shallower, 
and  they  were  cut  with  a  chisel-pointed  tool  instead 
of  a  burin. 

There  is  a  certain  class  of  brasses  known  as 
"  palimpsests," — old  brasses  which  have  been  taken 
out  of  their  original  settings,  re-engraved  on  the  back, 
and  made  to  do  duty  for  a  second  person.  Thus  a 
brass  commemorative  of  Margaret  Bulstrode  (1540), 
on  being  removed  from  its  position,  was  discovered 
to  have  been  made  originally  for  Thomas  Totyngton, 
abbot  of  St.  Edmund's  Bury,  in  1312.  The  abbey  was 
surrendered  to  Henry  VIII  in  1539,  so  within  the  year 
the  work  of  spoliation  had  begun,  and  the  abbot's  brass 
had  been  done  over  to  serve  for  Mistress  Bulstrode. 
One  reason  for  the  wholesale  stealing  of  these  old 
brasses,  and  their  re-erection  when  newly  engraved 
on  the  back,  was  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  getting 
sheet  brass  in  England.  All  that  was  used  prior  to 
1650  was  of  Continental  make. 

To  preserve  the  remainder  of  these  interesting  and 
valuable  records,  from  which  many  a  family  record 
has  been  perfected,  several  societies  have  grown  up 


120         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

in  Great  Britain,  the  most  active  being  that  of  the  city 
of  Cambridge,  which  boasts  a  large  membership. 
There  are  on  record  over  4,000  of  these  brasses  in 
churches  and  cathedrals,  and  it  is  expected  that  soon  all 
that  remain  will  be  recorded  and  kept  in  repair.  There 
are  many  antiquarians  who  make  collections  of  rub- 
bings from  the  brasses,  as  the  inscriptions  are  univer- 
sally quaint,  -and  this  is  the  only  way  that  a  proof,  so 
to  speak,  can  be  obtained,  so  that  the  engraving  of  the 
devices  and  lettering  shows  up. 

There  is  one  of  these  brasses  at  the  church  at  Strat- 
ford-on-Avon,  to  view  which  so  many  Americans  re- 
pair, and  the  wording  on  it  has  been  copied  many  times, 
although  in  places  it  is  much  worn  away  by  the  feet 
of  pilgrims  to  that  shrine.  It  runs  thus: 

"GOOD     FREND     FOR     IESVS     SAKE     FORBEARS, 
TO  DIGG  THE  DVST  ENCLOASED  HEARE  I 
BLESE  BE  YE  MAN  YT  SPARES  THES  STONES, 
AND  CVRST  BE  HE  YT  MOVES  MY  BONES/' 

Underneath  it  lies  the  tomb  of  William  Shakespeare. 
Although  the  metal  of  which  many  of  the  brasses 
were  made  came  from  Germany,  which  country  was 
famous  for  her  production  of  brass  during  the  Middle 
Ages,  it  was  made  in  England  in  increasing  quantities. 
During  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII,  an  act  of  Parliament 
was  passed,  prohibiting  the  export  of  brass,  showing 
that  not  enough  was  made  for  home  consumption.  A 
curious  detail  of  this  enactment  is  that  it  was  not  re- 
pealed till  so  lately  as  1799.  During  the  reign  of 
Queen  Elizabeth  the  manufacture  of  brass  was  much 


Fig.   47.      FIREPLACE   AND   FENDER 
Langdon  House,  Portsmouth  House,  N.  H. 


Fig.  48.     FIREPLACE  AND  ANDIRONS.     ENGLAND,  COLONIAL 
HOUSE 


BRASSWARE  121 

developed  and  encouraged,  and  a  patent  for  the  work- 
ing of  calamine  stone  was  granted  by  the  Queen  to 
William  Humfrey  and  Christopher  Schutz,  securing 
to  them  the  exclusive  right  to  manufacture  brass.  The 
patent  rights  issued  to  these  men  was  gradually  ex- 
tended, and  finally  became  vested  in  a  company  called 
"  The  Governors,  Assistants,  and  Societies  of  the  City 
of  London  of  and  for  the  Mineral  and  Battery 
Works," — a  long  and  far  from  clear  designation. 
This  company,  however,  continued  to  exercise  its 
functions  down  to  the  year  1710,  when  it  was 
dissolved. 

During  the  Middle  Ages  the  ordinary  domestic  pin, 
which  has  long  been  an  article  of  feminine  economy, 
was  made  of  brass.  In  the  fifteenth  century  it  had  be- 
come of  so  much  importance  as  an  article  of  com- 
merce in  England,  that  in  1483  the  importation  of  pins 
was  forbidden  by  statute.  Only  the  best  pins  were 
made  of  brass,  for  there  were  inferior  ones  made  of 
iron  wire  blanched,  and  it  was  against  these  that  the 
enactment  was  directed.  By  1636  the  Pinmakers  of 
London  formed  a  corporation,  and  the  manufacture 
was  subsequently  removed  to  Bristol  and  Birming- 
ham, the  latter  town  becoming  the  principal  centre  for 
the  industry.  Brass  works  or  foundries  had  been 
started  in  Bristol  in  1702,  and  by  a  man  named  Turner, 
in  Birmingham,  about  1740. 

The  early  settlers  in  America  were  dependent  on 
London  for  their  pins  and  needles,  and  there  are  few 
lists  sent  over  by  them  which  did  not  include  an  order 


122  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

for  one  or  the  other  of  these  articles.     They  were  not 
sold  as  now,  by  the  paper,  but  by  the  hundred. 

In  1761  Colonel  George  Washington  sent  to  London 
for  some  articles  for  his  own  wardrobe,  and  for  those 
of  Mrs.  Washington  and  Nelly  Custis.  Mrs.  Wash- 
ington's order  was  for — 

-"  a  salmon-coloured  tabby  velvet  with  satin  flowers ;  ruffles 
of  Brussels  lace  or  point,  to  cost  twenty  pounds;  fine  silk 
hose,  white  and  black  satin  shoes ;  six  pairs  of  mitts ;  six  pairs 
of  best  kid  gloves;  one  dozen  of  most  fashfonable  handkerchiefs; 
one  dozen  knots  and  breast-knots;  real  minikin  [very  small] 
pins  and  hair  pins ;  a  puckered  petticoat,  six  pounds  of  perfumed 
powder ;  handsome  breast  flowers ;  and  some  sugar  candy." 

In  the  same  order  were  enumerated  these  articles  for 
"  Miss  Custis,  aged  six." 

"  A  coat  of  fashionable  silk  with  bib-apron,  ruffles  and  lace 
tucker;  four  fashionable  dresses  of  long  lawn;  fine  cambric 
frocks ;  a  satin  capuchin  hat  and  neckatees ;  satin  shoes  and  white 
kid  gloves ;  silver  shoe  buckles,  sleeve  buttons,  aigrettes  and  six 
thousand  pins,  large,  short  and  minikin;  a  fashionable  doll  to 
cost  a  guinea;  gingerbread;  toys,  comfits  and  sugar  images." 

One   would  think   that  the   gingerbread   would  have 
been  a  trifle  stale  when  it  reached  Mount  Vernon ! 

So  necessary  were  pins  that  it  was  not  long  before 
the  colonists  appreciated  the  benefit  to  accrue  to  them 
by  their  manufacture,  and  the  people  of  the  Carolinas 
were  stimulated  by  the  offers  of  prizes  for  the  first- 
made  pins  and  needles.  This  was  by  1775.  At  a 
later  day  than  this  several  pin-making  machines  were 
invented  in  the  United  States,  and  during  the  war  of 
1812  the  price  of  pins  rose  to  such  an  extent  that  the 
manufacture  was  actually  started,  but  it  was  not  par- 


Fig.    40.      BRASS    FI  UK-SET 
Collection   of  Mr.  Lattiinore 


Fig.    50.     OLD    BRASS    ANDIRONS 
From  the  Collection  of  A.  Killgorc,  Esq. 


BRASS    WARE  123 

ticularly  successful  until  1836.  By  1824,  however, 
Mr.  Lemuel  Wright,  of  Massachusetts,  had  patented 
a  pin-making  machine  in  England,  which  established 
the  industry  on  its  present  basis. 

Various  processes  are  employed  in  the  making  of 
brass.  It  may  be  cast,  rolled  in  sheets,  or  drawn  into 
wire.  It  was  not  until  1781  that  James  Emerson 
patented  the  direct  production  of  brass  from  copper 
and  zinc,  and  his  method  gradually  displaced  the  old 
or  calamine  process.  Some  of  the  most  important 
factors  in  the  development  of  the  brass  trade  have  been 
the  introduction  of  rolling-mills  in  the  early  part  of  the 
last  century,  and  the  application  of  stamp  and  die  in 
1769. 

All  brass  is  now  made  by  melting  together  copper 
and  zinc,  but  the  term  "  cast  brass  "  is  applied  when  the 
article  receives  its  form  from  a  mould,  and  is  not  after- 
ward rolled,  drawn,  hammered,  or  spun.  For  this 
purpose  the  charge  is  melted  in  small  furnaces  heated 
by  coke.  The  moulds  for  the  casting  of  brass  are  com- 
monly of  sand,  and  when  the  cast  object  is  still  warm 
it  is  dipped  into  water,  which  detaches  most  of  the 
sand,  and  it  is  then  dressed,  ground,  and  burnished. 
The  proportion  of  copper  in  brass  varies  from  66  to 
75  per  cent.  In  the  latter  proportion  is  made  the  best 
English  brass. 

For  sheet  brass  the  metal  is  first  cast  in  bars,  or  what 
are  known  as  "  strips,"  and  these  strips  are  pressed  cold 
through  rollers.  When  they  are  sufficiently  thin,  to 
prevent  cracking,  the  metal  is  annealed  at  a  red  heat, 
and  the  surface  is  cleaned  of  oxide  by  immersion  in 


124  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

diluted  sulphuric  acid.  These  processes  are  repeated 
until  the  sheet  is  of  proper  size  and  thickness. 

"  Red  metal  "  and  "  Prince's  metal "  are  two  varie- 
ties, the  former  being  used  in  the  button  trade.  Bir- 
mingham, England,  originally  famous  for  its  iron 
work,  acquired  a  reputation  for  brass  buttons.  Gold 
lace  had  long  been  conspicuous  for  ornamenting 
riding-dresses,  and,  as  it  grew  old-fashioned,  its  place 
was  taken  by  brass  buttons.  The  eighteenth  and  the 
first  part  of  the  nineteenth  centuries  may  be  called 
"  the  brass-button  era."  What  steel  has  been  to 
Sheffield  and  cotton  to  Manchester,  has  brass  been  to 
Birmingham,  and  brass-founding  and  brass-making 
are  among  its  peculiar  industries. 

Of  all  English  centres  of  industry,  Birmingham  is 
perhaps  the  most  remarkable  for  the  variety  of  its 
products.  In  fact  its  boast  is  that  it  is  never  badly 
off,  since  it  has  so  many  strings  to  its  bow.  Nothing 
is  too  hot  or  too  heavy,  too  minute  or  too  great,  for 
Birmingham  to  attempt,  and  among  the  multitudinous 
objects  manufactured  there  are  heathen  gods,  um- 
brellas, matches  and  stained-glass  windows,  sewing- 
machines,  brass  beds,  teapots  and  guns,  roasting-jacks 
and  swords,  needles  and  buttons,  fish-hooks  and  rail- 
road cars. 

Many  of  the  good  brass  articles  found  in  this  coun- 
try originated  in  Birmingham,  and  it  is  a  pity  that  the 
workers  in  brass  did  not  follow  the  example  of  the 
pewterers,  and  stamp  their  ware.  Only  a  very  few 
pieces  are  known  which  are  marked  in  any  way,  and 
one  of  them  is  a  very  ornamental  door-lock  of  fine 


Fig.   51.      BRASS    AND    TOPPER    BRAZIER 
From   the   Collection   of  Mr.   George  BrotUn<i<i 


Fig.  52.     SPANISH   BRASERO 
From   tlie   Collection   of   Mrs.   Charles   P.   Barry 


BRASS    WARE  125 

workmanship.  It  is  now  to  be  seen  in  the  South 
Kensington  Museum,  and  has  scratched  upon  it, 
"  Richard  Bickford,  Londini,  fecit  1675."  But  cen- 
turies before  this  knockers  were  made  of  brass,  as 
times  grew  more  peaceful,  and  the  coming  guest  no 
longer  wound  his  horn  or  rapped  with  his  sword  to 
announce  his  arrival.  The  most  famous  of  the  an- 
cient knockers  which  now  remain  in  England  is  at 
Oxford,  and  has  quite  a  long  and  unusual  history. 

Brasenose  College,  Oxford,  was  so  called  on  ac- 
count of  this  knocker,  which  was  on  the  outer  door 
of  Brasenose  Hall.  In  1334  the  Oxford  students  mi- 
grated to  the  town  of  Stamford,  owing  to  a  riotous 
feud,  and  took  with  them  their  knocker,  which  was  a 
brass  head,  and  was  the  emblem  of  their  college  so- 
ciety. At  the  Lincolnshire  town  they  built  a  new 
Brasenose  Hall,  and  fastened  thereon  the  nose  of 
brass.  After  a  time  the  breach  was  healed,  and  the 
students  returned  to  Oxford,  the  building  they  had  used 
passing  into  the  hands  of  the  corporation  of  Stamford, 
In  1688  the  building  was  torn  down,  save  only  the  an- 
cient doorway.  A  house  was  built  on  the  site,  which 
went  into  private  hands,  together  with  the  doorway, 
door,  and  knocker.  At  a  recent  sale  of  this  property 
(1890)  Brasenose  College  became  the  purchaser,  and 
has  recovered  and  restored  to  Oxford,  after  a  lapse 
of  five  and  a  half  centuries,  the  knocker  wrenched 
off  by  the  departing  students  of  the  fourteenth 
century. 

This  knocker,  or  "  nose  "  is  in  the  form  of  a  lion's 
head  with  an  iron  ring  through  the  mouth.  The  brows 


126  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

of  the  lion  are  very  prominent,  and  the  teeth  are 
rudely  engraved,  though  the  head  is  well  modelled. 
The  nose  is  by  no  means  so  prominent  as  to  justify 
the  name.  This  pattern  has  long  been  a  favourite  one 
in  England,  and  in  Figure  45  is  given  a  good  example 
of  it.  This  is  an  old  knocker,  and  for  many  years  was 
both  ornamental  and  useful  on  a  hospitable  door  in 
New  England.  By  the  last  quarter  of  the  eighteenth 
century  the  eagle  began  to  be  more  esteemed  among  us 
than  the  lion,  even  though  he  was  the  king  of  beasts, 
and  some  brass-worker — a  sturdy  American  patriot, 
let  us  hope — devised  for  Colonial  doorways  a  bird 
with  fierce  aspect  and  spread  wings.  One  of  these  is 
shown  in  Figure  46.  It  is  many  years  old,  and,  like 
the  lion,  served  in  New  England,  for  many  a  long  year, 
to  announce  the  coming  guest. 

Once  within  the  house,  two  important  necessities 
were  heat  and  light.  The  former  was  supplied  largely 
by  great  fireplaces,  and  in  many  of  these  were  to  be 
found  brass  fenders,  fire-dogs,  and  fire-tongs,  shovels, 
etc.  These  were  often  very  handsome  and  quite  costly 
affairs,  and  most  of  them  were  brought  from  England, 
at  least  in  the  early  days.  The  brass  fenders  are  not 
often  found  now,  but  one  is  shown  in  Figure  47,  which 
is  in  a  room  in  the  old  Langdon  House,  at  Portsmouth, 
New  Hampshire.  In  passing  I  would  call  attention 
to  the  superb  carving  of  the  over-mantel,  of  the  mantel 
itself,  and  all  about  the  room.  This  famous  old  house 
was  built  by  John  Langdon  in  1784.  He  was  an  ear- 
nest and  devoted  patriot,  and  was  five  times  chosen 
governor  of  New  Hampshire.  He  made  a  famous 


Fig.  53.     KITCHEN    OF   THE   WHIFFLE   HOUSE   AT   IPSWICH, 
MASS. 


Fi<T    54       BRASS  CANDLESTICKS  Fig.  55.     BRASS ^CANDLESTICKS 

RUSSIAN 


RUSSIAN 


BRASSWARE  127 

speech  in  1777,  which  shows  of  what  stuff  these 
American  gentlemen  were  made.  He  said: 

"I  have  a  thousand  dollars  in  hard  money;  I  will  pledge  my 
plate  for  three  thousand  more;  I  have  seventy  hogsheads  of 
Tobago  rum,  which  will  be  sold  for  the  most  that  they  will 
bring.  They  are  at  the  service  of  the  State.  If  we  succeed  in 
defending  our  homes  and  firesides,  I  may  be  remunerated;  if  we 
do  not,  then  the  property  will  be  of  no  value  to  me." 

Before  this  very  handsome  fireplace  General  Washing- 
ton has  stood  when  he  visited  Portsmouth  in  1789,  and 
he  has  recorded  it  as  the  handsomest  house  in  the 
town.  Louis  Philippe  and  his  brothers  were  enter- 
tained here,  and  so  was  President  Monroe.  They 
nearly  all  leave  records  of  the  beauty  and  elegance  of 
the  mansion,  and  one  of  the  guests,  the  Marquis  de 
Chastellux,  wrote  in  1782, — 

After  dinner  we  went  to  drink  tea  with  Mr.  Langdon.  He  is 
a  handsome  man  and  of  noble  carriage.  His  house  is  elegant 
and  well  furnished,  and  the  apartments  well  wainscotted." 

Indeed  in  these  old  houses  the  fireplace  was  the  centre 
of  the  home,  so  to  speak,  for  in  many  of  the  Colonial 
houses  the  rooms  were  large  and  stately,  and  to  keep 
the  blood  from  almost  congealing,  it  was  necessary  to 
gather  pretty  closely  to  the  fire.  As  befitted  its  impor- 
tance, the  fireplace  was  handsomely  wainscotted,  and  in 
Figure  48  there  is  a  type  of  woodwork  surrounding 
the  generous  hearth  which  is  earlier  than  that  shown  in 
Figure  47.  In  it  is  a  pair  of  nice  old  fire-dogs, — 
"  rights  and  lefts  "  they  were  called  when  they  had  a 
curve  back  of  the  brass  dog,  and  about  where  the  iron 


128         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

foot  joined  on.  When  half-grown  trees,  sawed  into 
logs  three  or  four  feet  long,  were  piled  up  in  such  a 
fireplace  as  this,  you  can  imagine  that  a  great  heat  was 
sent  out  into  the  room.  The  fire  demanded  much  at- 
tention, and  for  this  purpose  handsome  fire-sets  were 
both  made  here  and  imported.  Such  a  set  is  shown  in 
Figure  49,  though  this  one  is  more  ornamental  than  is 
common.  In  humble  homes  the  housewife  was  satis- 
fied if  she  had  a  curved  arm  screwed  into  the  wood- 
work of  the  mantel,  and  in  this  rested  the  shovel  and 
tongs.  Often  a  piece  of  marble  scored  in  squares 
stood  neatly  in  the  corner  of  the  hearth,  and  the  fire- 
irons  were  set  into  the  scores  to  keep  them  from  slip- 
ping. I  have  seen  several  ornamental  sets  like  the  one 
in  Figure  49,  and  one  or  two  which  were  made  in  this 
country  and  had  the  foot  and  upright  made  of  iron  or 
steel  instead  of  brass.  This  one  came  from  an  old 
manor  house  in  England,  where  it  had  been  in  use  for 
scores  of  years.  The  openwork  shovel  was  to  take 
up  hot  coals  for  putting  into  warming-pans  or  braziers, 
or  for  the  necessary  foot-warmer  to  be  used  on  Sun- 
day. 

I  have  said  that  some  of  these  articles  were  made  in 
this  country,  but  just  how  early  brass  was  made  here 
it  would  be  hard  to  say.  Probably  in  a  small  way  it 
was  commenced  early,  for  braziers  were  among  the 
early  comers.  During  the  first  anxious  days  in  1620, 
when  the  able-bodied  men  were  exploring  the  coast  of 
Plymouth  harbour  near  where  the  "  Mayflower "  lay 
at  anchor,  in  order  to  choose  a  good  place  for  the  settle- 
ment, they  had  a  sharp  encounter  with  the  Nauset 


Fig.   56.     BRASS   CANDLESTICK,    RUSSIAN 
From   the  Collection   of  Mrs.   Charles  P.  Barry 


Fig.    57.      BRASS    UTENSILS 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  Wilford  R.  LawsUe 


BRASSWARE  129 

Indians.  After  the  victory,  when  the  Pilgrims  came 
together  again,  they  picked  up  eighteen  arrows.  Some 
of  these  were  tipped  with  brass,  some  with  deer-horn, 
and  some  with  the  claws  of  eagles.  It  is  now  sup- 
posed that  this  brass  came  from  the  wreck  of  a  French 
vessel  in  1616,  for  these  first  foes  of  the  Pilgrims  were 
the  Nausets,  the  only  tribe  between  Chatham  and 
Provincetown. 

During  the  next  century  many  braziers  came  from 
England  and  settled  in  various  parts  of  the  country. 
The  first  New  York  directory,  published  in  1786,  gives 
the  names  of  James  Kip,  Brass  Founder,  59  Broadway, 
and  Abram  Montayne,  at  13  King  Street.  The  iron- 
mongers and  tinplaters,  no  doubt,  also  sold  brass  ware, 
and  brass  hinges  and  handles  were  sold  to  the  furni- 
ture-makers before  we  made  them  here. 

Various  brass  works  were  established  in  different 
parts  of  the  country,  and  the  Michauds,  father  and  son, 
who  travelled  here  extensively  from  1793-1796,  and 
again  in  1802,  tell  in  their  "  Early  Western  Travels," 
of  finding  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Pennsylvania, 
"  about  two  miles  from  Liberty  Town,  Probes'  Fur- 
nace, a  foundry  established  by  a  Frenchman  from 
Alsace."  He  made  all  kinds  of  brass  vessels,  and  also 
worked  in  copper.  The  largest  brass  kettles  he  made 
were  capable  of  holding  about  200  pints.  These  were 
sent  to  Kentucky  and  "  Tennessea,"  where  they  were 
used  in  the  preparation  of  salt  by  evaporation.  The 
smaller-sized  kettles  were  for  household  use.  The  son, 
Francois,  states  also,  that  for  the  most  part  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  are  "armourers, 


130         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

hatters,  saddlers,  and  coopers,  the  armourers  of  Lan- 
caster having  long  been  celebrated  for  their  manufac- 
ture of  rifle-barrelled  guns." 

In  Colonial  accoutrements  much  brass  was  used, 
many  eagles  being  cut  from  sheet  brass  and  put  on 
belts  and  haversacks.  I  have  in  mind  now  two  such 
eagles,  of  different  sizes,  which  have  been  brought 
from  seclusion  by  a  "  Colonial  Dame,"  and  mounted 
on  two  small  panels  on  her  staircase.  Michaud  the 
younger  also  says : 

"  At  Springfield,  or  near  it,  is  Mays-lick,  where  there  is  a  salt- 
mine. For  evaporation,  they  make  use  of  brazen  pots  contain- 
ing about  200  pints  and  similar  in  form  to  those  used  in  France 
for  making  lye.  They  put  ten  or  twelve  in  a  row  in  a  pit  four 
feet  deep,  and  at  the  ends  throw  in  billets  of  wood  and  kindle 
a  fire.  These  sort  of  kilns  consume  great  amounts  of  wood." 

In  Figure  50  are  shown  several  styles  of  old  and- 
irons, all  of  which  are  reproduced  for  use  to-day.  The 
wedding  outfit  of  Judith  Sewall,  daughter  of  Judge 
Samuel  Sewall,  who  kept  the  voluminous  diary  which 
is  such  a  mine  of  wealth  as  to  customs  and  manners  in 
New  England  during  the  last  part  of  the  seventeenth 
and  first  part  of  the  eighteenth  centuries,  is  often 
quoted  as  showing  what  was  demanded  as  necessary 
by  a  well-to-do  bride  of  that  period.  The  list  of  her 
brass  ware  is  given  in  full,  with  the  prices  which  it 
was  deemed  proper  to  pay  for  it,  and  I  give  it  here  so  as 
to  show  what  an  important  part  this  metal  played  in 
domestic  utensils  two  hundred  years  ago.  After 
specifying  the  furniture  for  a  "  chamber,"  the  list  pro- 
ceeds : 


Fig. 


58.     BRASS   COOKING-UTENSILS   AND   CANDLESTICKS 

In  Dccrfield  Memorial   Hall 


Pis:.  r>n.    BRASS  CANDLESTICK  AND  LAMPS 

From  the  Collections  of  Mr.  flcort/c  Brodliead  and  Mrs.  E.  Wetmore 


BRASS    WARE  131 

One  bell-metal  Skillet  of  2  quarts,  one  ditto  one  Quart. 

One  good  large  warming-pan  and  cover  fit  for  an  iron  handle. 

4  Pair  of  strong  Iron  Dogs  with  brass  heads  about  five  or  six 
shillings  a  pair. 

A  Brass  Hearth  for  a  chamber  with  Dogs,  Shovels,  Tongs,  and 
Fender  of  the  Newest  Fashion  (the  fire  is  to  ly  on  Iron.) 

A  strong  Brass  Mortar  That  will  hold  about  a  Quart  with  a 
Pestle. 

Two  pair  of  large  Brass  sliding  Candlesticks  about  four 
shillings  a  Pair. 

Two  pair  of  large  Brass  Candlesticks  not  sliding  of  the  Newest 
Fashion  about  five  or  six  shillings  a  Pair. 

Four  Brass  snuffers  with  stands. 

Six  small  Brass  Chafing-dishes  about  four  shillings  apiece. 

One  Brass  basting  Ladle;  one  larger  Brass  Ladle. 

One  Pair  Chamber  Bellows  with  Brass  noses. 

One  small  hair  broom  sutable  to  the  Bellows. 

Before  the  days  of  fireplaces  and  chimneys  (the  latter 
were  not  in  use  till  about  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth 
century),  hot  coals  were  carried  about  from  room  to 
room,  and  placed  in  metal  pans  near  at  hand,  so  that 
the  occupants  might  find  the  chill  a  little  mitigated. 
Such  receptacles  were  made  of  brass  or  copper,  and 
remained  in  use  for  some  hundreds  of  years.  Fashions 
and  comforts  spread  slowly  in  those  days,  and  what 
had  long  been  obsolete  in  London  might  have  become 
the  "  proper  thing  "  in  the  country  districts.  Some- 
times these  receptacles  for  hot  coals  had  little  holes  in 
them ;  in  other  cases  the  metal  itself,  becoming  heated, 
gave  out  warmth  in  that  way.  Such  a  warmer  is  seen 
in  Figure  51,  and  a  very  aristocratic  one  it  is,  with  the 
lower  half  of  brass  with  copper  ornaments  rivetted  on, 
and  the  upper  half  copper  with  brass  ornaments  on  it. 
The  bail  is  of  iron.  It  is  a  splendid  piece,  all  beaten 


132  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

work,  the  rivets  showing  quite  plainly  even  in  the 
photograph.  It  has  a  copper  bottom  and  stands  bn 
three  brass  feet.  The  lion  would  seem  to  reveal  its 
English  origin,  though  it  was  bought  from  a  Russian 
Jew  who  had  brought  it  from  his  own  country.  It 
shows  evidence  of  much  use,  and  the  inside  is  scarred 
and  scorched  with  the  coals  which  have  been  put  in  it. 

Under  the  general  heading  of  "  heat  "  it  may  be  well 
to  notice  the  various  styles  of  braziers  which  were  also 
in  common  use.  These  braziers  were  open  pans  for 
burning  wood  or  charcoal.  The  old  Roman  brazier 
was  a  bronze  tripod  with  a  round  dish  above  the  fire, 
and  a  vase  below  for  perfumes.  It  occupied  the 
atrium,  and  represented  the  abode  of  hospitality  and 
sanctuary,  even  after  the  process  of  cooking  had  been 
banished  to  another  apartment.  The  smoke  was  of 
course  unpleasant,  and  in  order  to  prevent  this  the 
bark  was  peeled  from  wood,  the  wood  long  soaked  in 
water,  then  dried,  and  anointed  with  oil.  The  Greeks 
sought  to  mitigate  the  "  smoke  nuisance  "  by  burn- 
ing costly  and  perfumed  gums,  and  spices,  and  scented 
woods. 

In  Figure  52  is  an  antique  Spanish  brasero,  with 
solid  and  heavy  handles  by  which  to  carry  it,  and 
around  the  rim  is  an  engraved  border.  The  legs  are 
rivetted  on,  and  each  terminates  in  a  small  foot.  On 
either  hand  are  brass  vessels,  the  one  with  the  foot  for 
serving,  and  the  bowl  for  either  cooking  or  serving. 

The  Japanese  warming-apparatus  is  similar  to  the 
Spanish  brasero,  and  is  used  with  a  handful  of  coals, 
but  it  is  so  inefficient  that  in  midwinter,  particularly 


Fig.    GO.      PAIR    OF    BRASS    LAMPS 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.   William  M.  Hoyt 


Fig.  61.     TALL   BRASS   LAMP 

From   the  Collection  of  Mr.  William  M.  Hoyt 


BRASS    WARE  133 

in  the  northern  part  of  the  kingdom,  the  people  depend 
principally  on  their  clothes  for  warmth,  piling  on  gown 
after  gown,  and  then  topping  these  with  splendid  furs. 

In  Judith  Sewall's  brass  ware  were  mentioned  ladles 
of  various  sizes,  to  be  used  in  cooking,  and  in  Figure 
53  quite  a  collection  of  these  utensils  are  shown  hang- 
ing in  the  kitchen  of  the  Whipple  House  at  Ipswich, 
Mass.,  in  company  with  many  other  articles,  the  uses 
of  which  have  been  rendered  obsolete  by  the  introduc- 
tion of  modern  methods.  In  the  fireplace,  tradition 
says,  a  calf  could  be  roasted  whole,  and  when  you  see 
the  extent  of  its  dusky  recesses,  you  can  well  believe 
the  tale. 

When  we  consider  the  insufficient  and  wholly  inade- 
quate methods  of  obtaining  light,  we  are  surprised 
that  our  ancestors  had  any  eyes  at  all.  William  Wood, 
in  his  "New  England's  Prospect"  (1634),  says: 

"  Out  of  the  Pines  is  gotten  candlewood  that  is  so  much  spoke 
of,  which  may  serve  as  a  shift  among  poore  folks,  but  I  cannot 
commend  it  for  Singular  good  because  it  is  something  sluttish, 
dropping  a  pitchy  kind  of  substance  where  it  stands." 

But  this  was  very  early  in  the  country's  history,  by 
1635  tneY  were  better  off  for  lights. 

Candlesticks  of  many  types  and  from  many  coun- 
tries, both  for  religious  and  secular  uses,  are  shown 
in  Figures  54,  55,  56,  and  57,  all  of  them  being  of 
brass.  A  number  of  them  are  of  Jewish  origin,  for 
the  Jews  have  always  been  celebrated  for  their  skill  in 
metal  work.  In  Bible  days  at  Tyre  and  Sidon  "  they 
traded  in  vessels  of  brass  in  thy  market."  The  large 
branched  candlestick  in  Figure  55  is  for  religious  use, 


134  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

as  are  the  three  in  Figure  56,  the  low  one  on  the  right 
hand  having  places  for  candles  for  each  day  in  the 
week,  while  the  one  on  the  left  with  the  two  birds  is  a 
Chinese  stick,  for  use  in  a  temple.  While  it  is  true 
that  the  ordinary  so-called  "  Chinese  curio  "  often  has 
had  no  real  connection  with  the  Flowery  Kingdom, 
once  in  a  while  a  real  export  from  the  land  of  rice  and 
Boxers  appears  to  delight  the  soul  of  the  collector. 
A  Chinese  brass  lock  came  to  hand  the  other  day, 
hand-made,  of  course,  and  fashioned  to  fasten  to- 
gether two  staples  in  the  manner  of  a  padlock.  With 
it  went  two  keys,  one  to  lock  it  by  pushing  back  a 
spring  inside,  the  other  to  release  the  spring.  This 
latter  was  a  most  elaborate  affair,  notched  and  split 
in  intricate  ways,  intended  no  doubt  to  foil  the  cupid- 
ity of  the  cleverest  of  Celestial  burglars.  The  Chinese 
love  to  make  many  of  their  curious  ornaments  just 
verging  on  the  grotesque,  like  this  candlestick.  The 
one  next  to  the  Chinese  stick  is  Portuguese,  this  nation 
also  excelling  in  metal  work  at  an  early  period,  al- 
though they  devoted  themselves  chiefly  to  silverware. 
More  common  types  of  candlesticks  are  seen  in 
Figure  57,  the  little  ones  being  for  bedroom  use,  while 
the  tall  one  would  grace  the  dining-table,  or  help  to 
light  the  card-table  when  neighbours  dropped  in  for 
a  social  game.  The  strange-looking  object  on  the 
right  hand  of  the  picture  is  a  spoon-mould,  and  in  it 
were  run  many  dozens  of  pewter  spoons,  like  one  of 
those  shown  in  Part  I.  Behind  the  mould  is  a  brass 
dipper,  and  in  the  rear  is  a  long-handled  spoon  for  use 
in  a  big  pot.  The  smoothing-iron  is  of  brass,  and  has 


Fisr.    62.     GIRANDOLES 
Collection   of  Mr.    William  J/.   Hoyt 


BRASS    WARE  135 

a  small  drawer  which  pulls  out,  and  was  filled  with  hot 
coals  when  in  use.  The  graceful  goblet  is  not  a  com- 
mon article,  although  more  vessels  were  made  of  this 
metal  than  we  would  deem  pleasant  or  sanitary  now. 

Various  forms  of  candlesticks  are  to  be  noted  in 
Figure  58,  the  one  with  the  little  knob  on  the  stem 
being  one  of  the  "  sliding  candlesticks  "  which  Judith 
Sewall  desired.  The  lamp  is  also  a  good  article,  and 
is  intended  either  to  be  carried  in  the  hand,  or  to  be 
hung  on  the  wall  by  means  of  the  ring  which  is  visible 
on  its  edge  opposite  the  handle.  There  were  brass 
lamps  and  pewter  ones  as  well  which  were  made  at  an 
early  period  for  burning  camphine,  a  volatile  and  in- 
flammable form  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  obtained  from 
the  pine-trees  which  were  so  abundant  in  the  Southern 
States.  It  burned  with  a  very  white  light,  and,  even 
though  dangerous,  was  much  used. 

A  brass  snuffers  and  tray  for  use  with  candles  is 
also  shown  in  this  illustration,  as  well  as  some  skillets 
with  the  tripods  on  which  they  stood  among  the  ashes, 
in  order  to  get  the  necessary  heat  for  cooking.  Fry- 
ing-pans also  were  often  of  this  metal,  and  one  with  a 
wooden  handle  is  seen  in  the  background.  It  was  one 
of  the  housekeeper's  most  cherished  ornaments  of  the 
kitchen,  as  it  hung  on  the  wall  polished  to  a  mirror- 
like  brightness. 

Brass  articles,  whatever  their  use,  were  hard  to  pro- 
cure, and  were  expected  to  last  long  and  be  handed 
down  from  one  generation  to  another.  It  is  almost 
pathetic  to  see  how  scant  the  household  goods  were. 
Things  that  we  would  not  think  worthy  of  mention 


136  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

were  specified  with  the  greatest  particularity  in  in- 
ventories and  wills. 

One  Edward  Thatcher,  of  Pirton,  England,  died 
May  10,  1595.  He  left  what  was  considered  a  large 
estate,  and  among  the  articles  enumerated  are,  "  to  my 
grandson  one  fallowe  Cowe  and  best  bed  and  one 
greate  Brasse  Candlesticke."  To  another  grandson 
he  leaves  "  one  browne  Cowe  short  horned  Coverlett 
and  a  paire  of  sheets  next  best."  To  yet  another, 
"one  fallowe  heifer  with  bed  and  payer  of  sheets  of 
the  third  sorte  and  one  Brasse  Candlesticke."  He  was 
evidently  attached  to  his  daughter-in-law,  for  he  says, 
"  To  daughter  in  Lawe  Ellynor  Marshe  a  white 
Couerlett  payer  of  blanketts,  platter,  pottinger,  little 
Caudron,  her  mother's  Weddinge  Ringe  and  her  best 
partlett,  she  to  take  her  share  quietly  and  without 
troubling  my  Exor."  Let  us  hope  that  Ellynor  and 
her  mother-in-law  had  hair  of  the  same  shade,  other- 
wise what  could  she  have  done  with  the  "  best  part- 
lett"? 

Richard  Frowst,  of  Imscott,  in  Hartland,  England, 

died    Sept.   2,    1580,   leaving   the   following  bequest: 

'  To   Joane   my   daughter,   my    grete    brazen    panne 

wth   certaine   ffethers  that   lyeth   in   a  barrell  in  my 

house." 

In  1598,  in  Norfolk,  England,  a  man  named  Fuller 
leaves  to  his  wife  Ann,  "all 'the  household  stuffe  she 
brought  me,  such  as  brasse,  pewter,  bedding,  fowles, 
etc.,  at  her  death  to  go  to  Thomas  Fuller  the  younger." 
These  same  people,  by  the  way,  had  two  sons  named 
Thomas  and  two  named  William,  which  might,  it 


BRASS    WARE  137 

would  seem,  have  caused  endless  confusion  in  the 
family. 

Now,  if  we  cross  the  water  to  America  and  come 
down  nearly  a  century  later,  we  find  that  brass  house- 
hold articles  are  still  highly  considered.  In  "  A  true 
Inventory  of  the  Personal  Estate  of  Capt.  John  San- 
ford  who  Deceased  the  25th  of  January,  1687,  Taken 
by  us  Whose  hands  are  hereunto  subscribed  and  valued 
According  to  New  England  money,"  are  mentioned  the 
following  household  articles: 

£  s.  d. 

"  Imprimis.     Wearing  cloathes I  08  oo 

Item.     Beds     bedsteads     and     furniture     thereunto 

belonging    8  10  oo 

Item.     Brasse   Weare    I  oo  oo." 

His  table  and  stools  are  also  mentioned  as  being  worth 
one  pound. 

The  inventory  of  Governor  Bradford,  dated  1657, 
has  already  been  given  in  the  section  on  Pewter,  and 
it  is  to  be  seen  that  he  valued  his  "  Kittles  "  and  candle- 
sticks very  highly.  Captain  Miles  Standish  had  three 
brass  kettles,  four  iron  pots,  one  skillet,  and  one  warm- 
ing-pan, the  bulk  of  his  estate  being  in  books  and  live- 
stock. 

It  seems  strange  that  brass  lamps  were  not  more 
often  mentioned,  for  they  were  by  no  means  uncom- 
mon and  were  of  various  types.  The  simplest  and 
most  primitive  were  called  "  Betty  lamps,"  and  were 
small  trays  into  which  some  grease  was  put  with  a  bit 
,of  twisted  rag  in  the  centre,  which,  when  burning,  gave 
a  feeble  ray.  These  lamps  generally  had  long  handles 


138          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

by  which  they  were  hung  on  the  wall,  and  they  were 
long  in  use  both  in  this  country  and  in  England,  and 
not  alone  in  the  cottage  districts  either.  They  were 
called  "cruiseys"  and  "  kials  "  as  well  as  "Bettys," 
and  in  Figure  59  are  shown  two  lamps 'and  one  candle- 
stick. The  central  lamp,  though  this  specimen  was 
brought  from  Damascus,  is  similar  to  the  Betty  lamp, 
although  the  latter  was  made  to  burn  only  one  wick, 
while  this  is  made  for  four,  one  at  each  corner.  Much 
brass  work,  both  old  and  new,  comes  from  Damas- 
cus,— there  are  countless  trays,  some,  of  them  on  feet 
and  intended  to  hold  coffee  sets ;  there  are  bowls,  and 
lamps,  and  pitchers,  or  flagons.  Women  and  children 
are  employed  to  restamp  patterns  on  old  trays  from 
which  the  design  has  been  worn  by  constant  use,  but 
to  men  only  is  entrusted  the  work  of  making  new  ones. 
Since  the  attention  of  collectors  has  been  turned  to 
brass  ware,  the  shores  of  the  Mediterranean,  Syria, 
North  Africa,  and  the  shores  of  the  Adriatic,  as  well 
as  Spain,  have  been  scoured  for  rare  and  antique 
specimens.  The  most  elaborate  and  beautiful  work 
comes  from  Persia,  the  lace-like  design  and  the  chas- 
ing on  the  thick  brass  being  equally  admirable.  Some 
of  the  fine  old  pieces  are  dated,  which  of  course  adds 
to  their  value. 

The  brass  alms-dish  of  the  dervish  is  his  most 
treasured  possession,  and  was  often  made  in  the  shape 
of  the  black  seed  of  the  Seychelles  palm,  and  ex- 
quisitely decorated.  Fine  braziers  are  also  to  be  found 
in  Persia,  but  many  of  them  are  the  newest  of  the  new, 
successfully  "  treated."  Shaving-basins  of  brass  are 


BRASS    WARE  139 

found  in  many  countries,  with  a  curved  indentation 
of  the  rim  for  the  throat  to  fit  into.  Travellers  to-day 
are  often  amused  to  see  a  barber  pursuing  his  voca- 
tion by  the  roadside,  the  customer  holding  the  basin 
under  his  chin  while  the  barber  works. 

In  looking  once  more  at  Figure  59  the  old  brass  lamp 
seems  quaint  enough.  It  is  made  from  sheet  brass, 
and  is  ornamented  with  a  punched  design.  These 
lamps  were  made  either  to  stand,  or  to  hang  by  means 
of  the  device  seen  on  the  body  of  the  lamp.  The  long 
wick  gave  but  a  feeble  flicker,  and  smoked  beside.  Yet 
such  things  as  this  were  used  for  the  only  luminary 
of  a  family  for  an  evening,  when  their  entire  energies 
were  devoted  to  making  it  burn  and  keeping  the  wick 
at  a  proper  distance  out  of  the  oil.  No  wonder  that 
our  ancestors  invented  that  old  saw,  "  Early  to  bed  and 
early  to  rise !  " 

The  third  object  in  the  picture  is  a  cast  brass  candle- 
stick of  unusual  design.  The  central  portion  is  a  bell 
which  swings  slightly  to  and  fro  and  gives  a  pleas- 
ing note  when  struck.  It  is  possible  that  this  was  used 
for  a  table  light  or  at  an  inn,  where  the  bell  became 
useful  in  summoning  an  attendant.  I  have  seen  only 
two  pairs  like  this,  and  both  came  from  New  Eng- 
land. 

When  I  look  at  these  candlesticks  I  often  think  of 
an  experience  I  once  had  in  the  lovely  old  cathedral 
city  of  York,  England.  When  I  went  there  I  carried 
letters  of  introduction  to  one  of  the  old  families,  whose 
ancestor  some  one  or  two  generations  back  had  mar- 
ried an  American  girl,  some  time  before  the  so-called 


i4o         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

"  American  Invasion."  They  had  a  house,  built  into 
the  walls  of  the  city,  which  stood  on  ground  once  he- 
longing  to  the  cathedral,  and  which  had  been  in  pos- 
session of  the  family  about  six  hundred  years.  Of 
course  we  were  anxious  to  see  the  house,  and  sent  our 
letters.  Members  of  the  family  came  to  call,  but  we 
were  out,  and  then  they  sent  us  an  invitation  to  dine. 
This  we  accepted,  mentioning,  in  the  note,  that  we 
begged  to  be  excused  for  not  appearing  in  evening 
gowns,  as  we  were  travelling,  and  had  left  most  of  our 
baggage  in  London.  The  messenger  returned  with  a 
note  in  which  the  invitation  was  changed  from  dinner 
to  lunch !  If  that  house  had  not  been  six  hundred 
years  old  we  would  not  have  taken  the  second  cut,  but 
interest  dominated  pride  and  we  went.  On  the  walls 
of  the  great  hall  in  which  we  were  received  were  suits 
of  armour  and  numerous  brass  plates  inscribed  with  the 
names  of  the  kings,  queens,  and  princelings  who  had 
visited  the  place.  The  host,  who  held  the  position  of 
High  Sheriff,  and  whose  ancestors  for  many  genera- 
tions back  had  held  the  same  office,  was  attired  in 
small-clothes  and  a  wig,  as  he  had  just  been  officiating 
at  service  in  the  minster,  in  attendance  on  some  digni- 
taries of  the  city.  When  we  went  into  the  dining- 
hall, — and  "hall  "  it  was  truly,  with  a  clerestory  with 
small  stained-glass  .windows  through  which  the  light 
filtered  softly  down,  and  in  which  the  dining-table 
seemed  like  an  oasis,  so  large  was  the  apartment, — I 
noticed  beside  the  host's  chair  a  huge  brass  gong  hung 
on  a  standard.  On  this  he  struck  when  he  wanted  the 
butler  or  any  of  the  numerous  footmen  who  were  in 


ffsr~s^^S~W^x~x.fl 


Pig.   65.     PIPKINS   AND   FEND&tfS:  >  ? 
T/JC  Fenders  are  Chippendale's  Designs;   the,  Pirfkihs  'of 

Period  »•*.•, 


BRASS    WARE  141 

attendance.  The  stick  which  he  used  for  this  purpose 
was  laid  beside  his  plate.  My  curiosity  getting  the 
better  of  me,  he  told  me  that  the  gong  had  been  in  use 
some  hundreds  of  years  by  his  forebears,  and  that  the 
old  custom  was  retained  by  him.  When  I  look  on 
these  candlesticks  I  wonder  if  some  old  Englishman  in 
a  more  humble  walk  of  life  smote  on  the  bell  when  he 
wanted  Betty  to  come  and  take  away  the  roast  beef 
and  Yorkshire  pudding,  and  bring  his  pipe  and  grog, 
and  light  the  candles  with  a  hot  coal  from  the  fire- 
place ! 

The  tall  arms  from  which  the  fire  utensils  hung 
were  also  generally  provided  with  two  or  more  places 
for  candles,  showing  that  the  popular  seat  was  within 
reach  of  both  fire  and  light. 

Sea  coal  was  introduced  about  1744,  and  at  the  same 
time  "  Pennsylvania  fireplaces "  came  into  use,  Ben- 
jamin Franklin  having  invented  his  grate  shortly  be- 
fore. Steel  hearths  and  stove-grates  could  be  bought 
here  by  1751,  and  iron  stoves  with  feet  and  handles  of 
brass  were  also  in  use.  Lamps  came  in  pairs,  and  were 
frequently  made  of  cast  brass,  like  those  in  Figure  60. 
These  were  for  burning  sperm  oil  and  had  double 
wicks,  and  though  by  no  means  givers  of  much  light 
they  were  vastly  better  than  candles.  It  is  not  com- 
mon to  find  a  pair, — indeed  they  are  almost  as  un- 
usual as  a  pair  of  china  pitchers, — though  many  of 
these  were  sent  over  here  for  a  period  of  eighty  years 
or  more.  Now  a  single  pitcher  of  one  pattern  is  all 
we  think  of  buying.  This  pair  of  lamps  sold  for  fif- 
teen dollars,  but  if  you  owned  a  pair  you  probably 


142        OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,     ETC. 

could  not  get  half  that  amount  for  them, — and  rightly 
too,  for  the  dealer  has  his  profit  to  make. 

Very  elegant  lamps  were  sent  over  here  for  sale, 
both  from  England  and  France,  and  I  show  one  in 
Figure  61.  In  most  cases  they  were  made  of  bronze 
or  brass  water-gilt.  Such  lamps  as  these  were  often 
ornamented  with  a  row  of  glass  prisms  hanging  from 
the  shade,  and  sometimes  girandoles  and  sconces  for 
the  wall,  holding  candles,  were  of  this  same  material. 
Very  elegant  ones  were  sent  here  from  France,  having 
as  a  centre  ornament  a  china  plaque  beautifully  deco- 
rated either  with  a  head  or  with  figures  a  la  Watteau, 
and  such  were  choice  parlour  ornaments. 

The  "  best  room,"  "  south  parlour,"  or  "  drawing- 
room," — no  matter  what  it  was  called  by  the  stately 
lady  who  presided  over  it, — was  never  considered  com- 
plete unless  it  had  on  the  mantle-shelf  a  set  of  cande- 
labra or  girandoles  with  prisms,  or  "  lustres,"  as  they 
were  called.  Three  candles  in  the  middle  one  and  two 
each  in  the  side  oti£s  were  deemed  the  proper  pattern, 
and  very  ornamental  they  were,  although  they  have 
been  banished  to  the  attic  for  some  decades.  Now 
we  are  beginning  to  haul  them  forth  again,  and  have 
to  hunt  about  to  find  the  prisms,  for  these  are  often 
fewer  than  they  should  be,  owing  to  the  depredations 
of  the  children,  who  love  to  watch  the  play  of  colours 
as  they  filter  through  the  sparkling  glass.  A  quaint 
pair  with  room  for  more  than  the  usual  number  of 
candles  is  seen  in  Figure  62. 

Even  the  great  makers  of  furniture,  Chippendale, 
Sheraton,  Hepplewhite,  Adam  Brothers,  and  Hope 


Fig.  66.     GEORGE  WASHINGTON'S  HALL  LANTERN 
In  ///<•  \titioii<il  Miixt'uin,  Washington 


Fig.   67.     BRASS  "CHANDELIER 
St.  Michael'*  Church,  Charleston,  8.  C. 


BRASS    WARE  143 

himself,  did  not  consider  it  beneath  their  dignity  to 
design  fenders,  girandoles,  escutcheons  and  handles  for 
furniture.  When  once  you  begin  on  the  subject  of 
metal  mounts,  which  were  chiefly  of  brass,  you  open 
the  doors  to  a  subject  so  vast  that  it  would  take  a  whole 
book  to  cover  it  properly.  I  have  had  many  requests 
for  light  on  this  subject,  as  many  people  are  anxious 
to  restore  to  their  furniture  the  handles  and  keyholes 
which  properly  belong  to  them,  so  I  have  had  copied 
from  the  books  of  Chippendale,  Hepplewhite  and 
Sheraton  some  pages  of  designs  showing  these  mounts. 
They  even  drew  patterns  for  "pipkins"  (scuttles)  of 
copper  and  brass  (as  shown  in  Figure  65),  and  their 
wine-coolers  were  often  bound  with  bands  of  these 
metals,  sometimes  handsomely  wrought. 

These  fenders  were  usually  made  from  sheet  brass, 
cut  into  the  desired  patterns.  When  small  ornaments 
and  mounts  were  cast,  the  moulds  were  of  wood.  The 
Dutch  as  well  as  the  English  and  French  made  hand- 
some mounts,  though  the  rage  for  these  additions  to 
furniture  never  reached  such  proportions  in  any  other 
country  as  in  France,  and  no  maker  ever  gained  the 
proficiency  and  skill  in  using  them  of  Riesener,  who  be- 
gan to  make  his  elegant  pieces  during  the  period  of 
Louis  XV,  but  who  is  better  known  by  his  straight- 
legged  pieces  which  have  come  to  be  called  "  Louis 
XVI  style." 

Every  house  with  any  pretensions  to  "  gentility,"  or 
even  comfort,  had  in  the  entrance-hall  a  lantern,  either 
square  or  round,  mounted  in  brass,  and  holding  either 
a  candle  or  a  small  lamp.  The  lantern  in  Figure  66 


144         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

belonged  to  General  and  Mrs.  Washington  and  hung 
in  the  hall  at  Mount  Vernon.  It  has  some  handsome 
brass  work  on  it.  It  was  probably  imported  from 
England  with  most  of  the  other  household  goods,  and 
is  now  in  the  National  Museum  at  Washington,  where 
so  many  interesting  relics  of  the  Father  of  his  Coun- 
try are  to  be  found.  These  lanterns  hung  from  the 
ceiling  by  either  chains  or  what  were  called  "  lines  and 
tossels."  Joseph  Cox  was  a  fashionable  upholsterer 
from  London,  who  had  as  his  sign,  "  The  Royal  Bed." 
He  was  first  in  Dock  Street  and  then  in  Wall  Street, 
New  York,  and  in  1773  had  for  sale  "  lines  and  a  few 
very  handsome  balance  tossels  for  hall  lanthorns." 
He  had  also  fire-screens  and  "  voiders "  (crumb- 
trays),  both  of  brass. 

All  public  buildings  were  lighted  in  the  same  primi- 
tive way  as  were  private  houses,  and  in  most  cases 
candles  were  the  means  used.  Churches  had  large 
chandeliers  of  brass  or  bronze,  and  the  one  shown  in 
Figure  67  still  hangs  in  Saint  Michael's  Church, 
Charleston,  S.  C.  It  was  made  by  G.  Penton,  a  well- 
known  maker  in  London,  and  was  imported  in  1803. 
It  had  holders  for  forty-five  candles,  and  hung  by  a 
chain.  It  has  recently  been  bronzed  and  fitted  for  gas, 
(1879),  but  still  preserves  its  old  look.  It  was  quite 
a  business  to  light  all  those  candles  and  keep  them 
snuffed,  and  the  office  of  sexton  was  no  sinecure.  In 
this  church  there  is  a  fine  brass  dove  which  forms  a 
balance  for  the  cover  of  the  font  when  it  is  raised  and 
in  use.  This  also  was  of  English  make. 

Many  domestic  utensils  were  of  brass,  not  only  tea- 


68.      BRASS    KETTLES    AND    PITCH  Kit 
from    the    Collection    of    Mr.    George   lirodhead 


ijr.  <')'.).     MILK-CAN    AND   COOKING-UTENSILS 
In   the  Mechanics   Institute,  Rochester,  N.   T. 


BRASS    WARE  145 

kettles,  but  jugs,  sugar-bowls,  and  small  pitchers  as 
well.  In  Figure  68  are  presented  two  kettles  and  a 
pitcher.  The  kettle  with  the  coat  of  arms  on  it  is  of 
a  pattern  seldom  seen,  and  has  been  much  used.  When 
it  was  new  it  had  a  wooden  handle,  but  this  has  all  been 
burned  away,  leaving  only  the  iron  pin  which  went 
through  its  centre.  The  other  kettle  is  older  yet,  a 
battered  veteran,  made  of  hammered  sheet  brass  and 
having  a  brass  handle.  I  hope  the  pitcher  was  used 
only  for  hot  water  as  a  shaving  jug,  for  I  cannot  con- 
ceive of  drinking  milk  or  any  other  fluid  which  had 
stood  in  such  a  receptacle. 

Our  ancestors  generally,  however,  were  not  very 
particular  on  this  point,  and  to-day  in  Holland  the 
favourite  milk-cans  are  of  brass,  similar  to  the  one 
shown  in  Figure  69,  which  is  a  nice  old  Dutch  piece, 
long  in  use.  As  usual  it  is  of  hammered  brass,  and 
seems  a  finer  quality  of  metal  than  any  of  the  other 
pieces,  except  the  little  perforated  stand  with  feet. 
This  stand  is  a  beauty.  It  is  made  from  a  single  piece 
of  brass  perforated  in  a  pretty  pattern,  and  once  used 
to  stand  among  the  hot  ashes  to  hold  some  object  which 
was  not  suitable  to  be  exposed  to  their  heat.  Perhaps 
the  best  "  chancy  "  teapot  was  kept  warm  in  this  when 
company  came  of  an  afternoon,  or  the  baby's  milk  was 
heated  in  it,  in  a  little  pipkin  or  an  earthen  mug.  We 
shall  never  know  just  how  useful  it  was;  but  it  was 
often  used,  that  is  certain,  for  the  feet,  which  were 
wooden  knobs  with  iron  pins  through  them,  are  all 
burned  away,  and  the  bottom  shows  frequent  contact 
with  hot  coals.  The  teakettle  in  the  same  picture  is  a 


146          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

graceful  one,  and  the  two  dishes  in  the  same  illustra- 
tion were  used  for  cooking  or  heating,  after  the  food 
had  been  once  thoroughly  cooked  in  the  great  iron  pot 
which  hung  in  every  fireplace. 

There  was  another  object  in  brass  made  by  the 
Dutch  which  far  exceeded  the  milk-can  in  usefulness, 
but  in  size  is  quite  at  the  other  end  of  the  scale.  This 
is  -the  thimble.  These  articles  were  invented  by  a 
Dutchman  or  a  Dutchwoman — and  first  brought  to 
England  in  1695.  Thimbles  were  then  worn  on  the 
thumb,  and  were  called  thumb-bells — after  this  thum- 
bles,  then  thimbles,  a  very  easy  and  natural  transition. 

The  early  thimbles  were  made  of  brass  or  iron,  but 
a  more  luxurious  age  demanded  them  of  gold,  silver, 
horn,  glass,  or  even  of  mother-of-pearl.  You  will  find 
the  latter  in  the  Flowery  Kingdom,  where  the  little 
brown  ladies  use  them  in  making  their  matchless  em- 
broideries, these  tiny  articles  having  a  top  and  rim  of 
gold,  both  metal  and  pearl-shell  being  exquisitely 
carved.  Paul  Revere,  of  Lexington  fame,  was  noted 
for  his  handsome  silver  and  gold  thimbles  and  gold 
beads,  as  well  as  for  the  larger  pieces  of  silver,  copper, 
and  brass  ware  which  he  made. 

Handsome  brass  boxes  were  made  in  England,  in 
Flanders,  and  America,  with  either  raised  or  engraved 
decoration  on  them.  They  were  used  to  hold  tobacco, 
snuff,  or  small  articles,  sometimes  served  as  money- 
boxes, or  were  hung  at  the  church  door  to  receive  of- 
ferings. The  word  "  tip  "  originated  in  the  old  coffee- 
houses, which  were  so  popular  in  London.  At  the 
door  was  a  brass  box  with  ,a  slit  in  it.  Engraved  on 


Pig.   70.     BRASS   KETTLES 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  William  M.  Hoyt 


Fig.    71.     SUGAR    BOWL    AND    PITCHER 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  George  Brodhead 


BRASSWARE  147 

the  top  were  the  letters  "  T.  I.  P.,"  an  abbreviation  for 
the  words,  "  To  insure  promptness."  As  customers 
departed  they  dropped  into  the  box  a  small  coin  for 
the  benefit  of  the  waiters. 

More  precious  to  the  housekeeper  than  little  dishes 
and  boxes  and  pitchers  and  pans  were  the  great  brass 
kettles,  which  were  her  pride  and  delight,  even  though 
it  did  require  such  a  world  of  care  to  keep  them  polished 
to  a  proper  state  of  brightness.  Three  sizes  are 
shown  in  Figure  70,  all  of  them  in  good  condition. 
Since  this  picture  was  taken  two  of  them  have  been  sold 
for  five  dollars  each.  But  there  is  another  side  to  this 
picture,  and  if  you  are  in  luck  you  can  find  them  for 
less.  Within  a  few  weeks  I  have  seen  three  about  the 
size  of  these,  which  were  bought  at  a  junk-shop  in 
western  New  York.  When  the  antique-lover  saw  one 
of  them  in  the  window,  she  went  in,  and,  pursuing  the 
collector's  usual  tactics,  asked  the  price  of  almost  every- 
thing before  she  came  to  the  kettle.  When  she  said, 
"And  how  much  is  that?"  and  the  dealer  answered 
"  Fifteen  cents,"  she  could  hardly  believe  her  ears. 
She  hesitated,  as  if  debating,  and  then  said  in  an  off- 
hand manner,  "  well,  I  suppose  I  might  as  well  take 
it."  Just  as  she  was  leaving  she  said,  "You  haven't 
any  other,  have  you?"  The  dealer  brought  out 
another,  somewhat  smaller,  and,  watching  her  face 
with  the  shrewdness  of  his  race,  saw  that  she  could 
not  conceal  her  pleasure,  and  went  up  five  cents  in  his 
price !  She  was  preparing  to  carry  off  her  spoils  when 
he  brought  out  a  third,  which  was  in  splendid  condi- 
tion, and  the  smallest  of  the  three.  When  she  asked 


148  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

"  How  much?  "  she  found  that  the  market  had  risen, 
for  he  demanded  thirty-five  cents.  It  is  needless  to 
say  that  she  paid  it  cheerfully,  and  I  do  not  think  that 
it  would  be  possible  to  pick  up  any  more  bargains  in 
brass  kettles  of  that  junk-man,  at  least.  If  you  get  or 
have  kettles  of  this  kind,  do  not  make  the  fatal  mis- 
take of  having  feet  put  upon  them,  or  of  having  the 
bail  handle  taken  off  and  lion's  heads  put  in  its  place. 
If  you  do  you  will  absolutely  destroy  the  whole  charm 
of  the  thing,  and  might  as  well  go  to  any  house-fur- 
nishing or  department  store  and  get  a  brand-new  one. 
These  brass  kettles  are  highly  prized  to  stand  on  the 
hearth  to  hold  coal  or  on  the  piazza  to  hold  plants. 
They  take  a  splendid  polish,  and  are  brilliant  ornaments 
anywhere. 

I  have  spoken  of  sugar-bowls  of  brass.  One  of 
these  is  shown  in  Figure  71.  It  is  quite  pretty,  with 
a  pattern  on  it,  and  with  cast  brass  handles,  which  are 
soldered  on.  By  it  stands  a  brass  pitcher,  quite  a 
crude  affair  with  an  awkward  handle,  but  it  is  hand- 
made, and  as  I  turn  it  over  I  wonder  if  some  "  handy 
man  "  did  not  make  it  for  his  wife,  to  eke  out  their 
scanty  supply  of  table  furniture. 

But  almost  more  beloved  and  sought  by  the  collec- 
tor than  these  old  articles  which  we  have  just  shown, 
and  which  should  be  of  the  first  importance  with  us, 
are  the  Russian  brasses  and  coppers  which  are  being 
brought  into  the  country  by  every  arriving  vessel  with 
emigrants,  and  which  are  also  being  made  in  many  a 
dark  cellar  on  the  East  Side,  New  York.  It  is  only  a 
few  years  since  the  first  of  these  articles  was  seen  here, 


Fig.  72.     RUSSIAN  SAMOVAR 


•<;:<; 

*  *"  -         ••       1 ' 


BRASS    WARE  149 

when  a  wise  Russian  who  had  lived  here  some  years 
made  a  return  trip  to  his  home  and  brought  back  all 
the  old  brass  objects  he  could  lay  his  hands  on.  So 
successful  was  his  venture  that  he  repeated  it  many 
times,  and  now  he  is  on  hand  when  the  ships  arrive  and 
buys  much  of  the  best  that  is  brought  by  the  immi- 
grants. The  every-day  Russian  kitchen  is  enough  to 
make  the  average  collector  wild  with  envy,  for  hang- 
ing in  rows  on  its  walls  are  all  the  kitchen  utensils, 
copper  and  brass  being  the  common  metals  in  use,  the 
bride  bringing  enough  on  her  marriage  to  last  all  her 
life.  These  kitchen  utensils  are  the  gift  of  the  bride's 
mother,  who  begins  to  get  them  together  while  the 
daughter  is  yet  a  child. 

Among  the  articles  most  in  use  in  a  Russian  house- 
hold is  a  samovar,  and  three  styles  are  illustrated  in 
Figures  72-74.  In  Figure  74,  besides  the  samovar, 
there  are  a  queer  Chinese  candlestick  and  a  vessel  used 
at  Jewish  feasts  for  sprinkling  the  guests  at  table 
with  incense.  The  vase  on  the  other  side  is  a  fine 
piece  of  work,  and  has  an  inscription  of  some  sort 
upon  it. 

In  Figure  75  is  a  Russian  brazier,  very  solid  and 
heavy,  with  a  wrought  cover  perforated  to  permit  the 
heat  to  escape.  It  is  ornate,  and  on  the  handles  is  a 
mask  of  a  man's  face,  while  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
cover  is  some  fine  engraving. 

It  seems  hardly  proper  to  leave  the  subject  of  brass 
without  at  least  a  reference  to  one  of  its  most  impor- 
tant uses.  This  was  the  making  of  bells.  From  re- 
mote times  these  were  used  in  religious  ceremonials, 


150         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

and  their  antiquity  is  unmistakable.  In  Exodus 
xxviii,  34,  we  read  a  description  of  the  robe  of  the 
high  priest  at  the  celebration  of  sacrifices.  He  was  to 
wear  "  a  golden  bell  and  a  pomegranate  upon  the  hem 
of  the  robe  round  about."  Apparently  it  was  more 
than  an  embroidered  ornament,  for  the  next  verse 
says,  "  His  sound  shall  be  heard  when  he  goeth  in 
unto  the  holy  place  before  the  Lord,  and  when  he 
cometh  out." 

The  early  bells  used  in  the  Christian  Church  were 
hand  bells,  and  some  very  ancient  ones  are  preserved 
in  Ireland,  Scotland,  and  Wales.  They  are  four-sided, 
nearly  square,  and  of  beaten  brass  bronzed  over.  In 
ancient  and  more  superstitious  days  the  bells  of  a 
church  were  baptised  for  the  purpose  of  "  driving 
away  divils  and  tempests,"  as  one  old  writer  puts  it, 
though  with  what  success  he  neglects  to  state. 

The  union  of  copper  and  tin  in  different  proportions 
brings  about  wonderfully  different  results.  In  one 
case  it  produces  bronze;  in  another  speculum-metal, 
which  is  brilliantly  white  and  is  used  for  the  reflectors 
of  telescopes ;  while  in  other  proportions  it  makes  bell- 
metal.  Some  bells  are  cast  with  a  proportion  of  four 
parts  of  copper  to  one  of  tin.  Others  have  thirty-two 
per  cent,  of  copper  to  nine  of  tin.  Lead,  zinc,  or  ar- 
senic are  added  also.  Peter  Van  der  Gheyn  was  the 
most  famous  bell-founder  in  Flanders  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  He  used  the  choicest  metal  in  his 
bells, — red  copper.  Drontheim  (called  "  Rosette," 
owing  to  a  certain  rare  pink  bloom  which  seems 
to  lie  all  over  it,  like  the  bloom  on  a  plum  or  a 


Fig.  73.     URN 


BRASS    WARE  151 

grape)  combined  with  the  purest  tin.  Enthusiasts 
watching  the  casting  of  bells  have  thrown  into  the 
cauldron  rings,  bracelets,  and  even  bullion.  At  a  cer- 
tain critical  moment  zinc  and  other  metals  in  certain 
proportions — secrets  of  each  bell-founder — are  cast 
in.  Later  the  bell-pit  is  flooded,  and  when  the  metal 
is  cooled  the  bell  is  extracted  from  the  mould.  A 
perfect  bell,  when  struck,  yields  one  note.  Even  the 
greatest  makers  were  not  exempt  from  failure,  and 
sometimes,  though  the  bell  be  perfect,  it  will  crack 
when  being  hung,  or  shortly  after. 

The  bells  of  Belgium  were  used  for  other  than 
religious  purposes,  since  that  country  was  for  years  a 
battle-ground.  The  first  necessity  in  a  fortified  town 
was  a  tower  from  which  the  approach  of  an  enemy 
could  be  seen ;  the  second,  a  bell  to  call  the  citizens  to- 
gether. In  fact  the  bell  in  many  a  church  tower  did 
not  belong  to  the  cathedral  chapter,  but  to  the  town. 
Thus  the  Curfew,  the  Carolus,  and  the  St.  Mary 
bells  in  Antwerp  cathedral  belong  to  the  town,  while 
the  rest  belong  to  the  chapter.  The  Carolus,  the  best 
beloved  of  all  the  forty  bells  in  Antwerp  cathedral, 
was  given  by  Charles  V,  and  weighs  seven  and  a  half 
tons.  It  is  actually  composed  of  gold,  silver,  and  cop- 
per, and  is  estimated  to  be  worth  $100,000.  From 
always  striking  in  the  same  place,  the  clapper  has  worn 
the  two  sides  greatly,  and  so  careful  are  the  Anversois 
of  their  treasure  that  it  is  now  rung  but  twice  a  year. 

Two  of  the  most  famous  English  makers  of  bells 
were  the  Penningtons,  and  Abel  Rudall,  of  Gloucester, 
whose  Christian  name  was  often  used  in  punning 


152          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

fashion  on  his  bells.  Latin  and  rhyming  inscriptions 
were  the  most  popular,  and  a  favourite  one  was, 

"  I  to  the  Church  the  living  call, 
And  to  the  Grave  do  summon'  all." 

Another  favourite  inscription  in  both  English  and 
Latin  wording  was:  "  Jesu  mercy,  Lady  help." 

The  bells  of  St.  Paul's,  London,  are  four  in  number, 
and  the  largest  bears  the  inscription :  "  Richard 
Phelps  made  me  1716."  In  Westminster  Abbey  are 
seven  bells.  On  the  largest  is  this  inscription :  "  Re- 
member John  Whitmell,  Isabel  his  wife,  and  William 
Rus,  who  first  gave  this  bell,  1430."  Then  below 
comes  this  one:  "  Newcast  in  July  1599,  and  in  April 
1738,  Richard  Phelps  and  T.  Lester,  Fecit."  The 
oldest  bell  in  this  tower  dates  from  1583.  The  famous 
big  bell  in  this  same  Westminster  Tower  is  cracked, 
but  it  is  nevertheless  dearly  loved  by  the  London  folk 
who  are  used  to  hear  it,  even  though  it  does  not  ring 
true. 

Although  England  and  Belgium  seem  to  be  abund- 
antly supplied  with  bells,  it  is  in  Russia  that  the  greatest 
number  and  largest-sized  ones  are  to  be  found,  every 
church  having  a  complete  set.  Moscow  alone  is  said 
to  possess  seventeen  hundred. 

There  are  many  bells  with  histories  in  America, 
where  they  served  to  warn  the  settlers  in  the  field  of 
the  approach  of  his  deadly  enemy,  the  Indian,  as  well 
as  to  call  to  prayer  on  Sunday.  Few  sets  of  bells  have, 
however,  lived  through  so  many  vicissitudes  as  those 
which  now  hang  in  St.  Michael's  Church,  Charleston, 


Fig.    74.     RUSSIAN    SAMOVAR 
From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry 


Fig.  75.     RUSSIAN  BRAZIER 


BRASS    WARE  153 

S.  C.  This  in  brief  is  their  history.  The  bells  are 
eight  in  number,  and  the  first  time  that  they  were  tolled 
was  for  the  funeral  of  Mrs.  Martha  Grimke,  Septem- 
ber 22,  1764.  For  nearly  twenty  years  their  work 
seems  to  have  been  more  or  less  peaceful,  and  when 
next  we  hear  of  them  it  was  as  follows : 

"At  the  evacuation  of  Charles  Town,  December,  1782,  Major 
Traille,  of  the  Royal  Artillery,  took  down  the  bells  and  carried 
them  away  as  being  public  property.  The  next  year  Sir  Guy 
Carleton  ordered  them  restored  immediately." 

The  bells,  however,  had  been  sold  in  England,  and,  as 
it  happened,  were  purchased  by  a  former  merchant 
of  Charleston  named  Ryhiner,  as  a  commercial  adven- 
ture, and  shipped  back  to  that  city.  On  their  landing, 
"  the  over-joyed  citizens  took  possession  of  them  and 
hurried  them  up  to  the  church  and  into  the  steeple, 
without  thinking  that  they  might  be  violating  a 
private  right." 

"  In  1838  two  of  the  bells  were  found  to  be  cracked ;  they  were 
sent  to  England,  recast,  and  returned  August,  1839.  In  June, 
1862,  they  were  sent  to  Columbia,  S.  C,  and  stored  there.  When 
that  city  was  burned  during  the  occupation  by  Sherman's  army, 
the  bells  were  burned  too.  In  1866  the  fragments  were  gathered 
together  and  sent  to  Mears  &  Steinbank  of  London,  England,  the 
successors  of  the  original  founders,  and  recast  in  the  same 
moulds.  They  were  sent  back  to  Charleston,  and  on  March  21, 
1867,  the  familiar  music  of  the  chimes  was  heard  again,  in  the 
strains  of  '  Home  again,  home  again  from  a  foreign  shore/ " 


1 


- 


- 


PART  IV 

COPPER    UTENSILS 


PART   IV 

COPPER    UTENSILS 

THOUGH  brass  is  but  a  compound  of  copper  and 
another  metal,  I  treated  it  first,  since,  in  considering 
the  use  of  the  two  materials  for  domestic  utensils,  I 
find  brass  greatly  preponderating  over  copper  in  the 
production  of  such  vessels. 

Copper  is  as  widely  distributed  in  nature  as  iron,  but 
owing  to  the  difficulty  of  reducing  iron  from  the  ore, 
an  acquaintance  with  that  metal  comes  after  the  use 
of  copper,  silver  and  gold.  Copper  occurs  in  all  soils 
and  in  many  substances  as  well,  such  as  sea-weed,  also 
in  many  food-stuffs,  etc.  The  methods  of  working  it 
vary  according  to  the  nature  of  the  ores  treated  and 
to  local  circumstances.  It  is  abundant  in  America  and 
has  been  worked  from  very  remote  periods. 

It  is  exceedingly  malleable  and  ductile,  and  exceeds 
both  silver  and  gold  in  its  tenacity.  As  we  know,  it 
takes  a  beautiful  polish,  and  I  have  found  that  it  was 
used  for  vessels  and  ecclesiastical  objects  almost  as 
much  as  brass.  In  an  inventory  of  what  were  called 
"Jewels,"  belonging  to  the  Church  of  St.  Peter, 
Woking,  England,  in  the  year  1587,  I  find  a  number 
of  different  metals  in  use,  among  them  copper.  Nor 
was  this  unusual. 


158  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

"  Imprinlis.    A  pix  of  silver.    VIII  oz. 

Item,  four  chalices,  parcell  gilte  thirti  oz. 

Item.  Ill  corporax  clothes  and  their  cases. 

Item.  Ill  alter  clothes  of  velvet  and  silke. 

Item.  Ill  aulter  clothes  of  lynnen. 

Item,  vestimentes. 

Item.  II  coopes  of  velalt. 

Item  a  surplice  and  IIII  rochettes. 

Item,  a  desk  cloth. 

Item.  II  canype  clothes,  33  crosse  clothes,  a  crosse  staffe. 

Hem.  V  towells,  a  red  silke  cloth  quilted. 

Item,  a  canype  of  silke. 

Item.  IIII  tumacles  and  III  albes,  a  crose  of  copper,  a  sen&f 

Item.  II  waterpooles. 

Item.  V  candlestickes. 

Item,  a  latten  bason  and  an  ewere.     a  crosse  cloth. 

Item.  VIII  streamars  and  banners,     a  font  cloth. 

Item.  II  braunches  of  yron  for  tapers. 

Item.  V  grete  bells  in  the  stepule,  IIII  little  smal  bells. 

Item,  a  saunce  bell,  a  payre  of  orgaynes." 

The  only  article  of  silver  in  this  enumeration  is  the  pix, 
and  even  iron  was  not  deemed  too  humble  a  metal  for 
use  on  the  "  aulter." 

Before  touching  on  the  domestic  vessels  of  copper 
with  which  we  are  most  likely  to  be  familiar,  I  wish  to 
show  a  thurible  or  encensoir  (Figure  77)  supposed  to 
belong  to  the  fourteenth  century,  and  now  in  the  United 
States.  The  common  form  of  censer  was  either  car- 
ried in  the  hand  or  swung  from  the  hand  by  chains. 
This  one  stands  upon  a  tray,  the  very  beautifully 
pierced  top  allowing  the  incense  to  escape.  It  is  of  a 
rosy  copper  colour,  heavy  and  hand  made,  the  de- 
sign being  decidedly  Oriental  in  conception.  It  looks 
as  if  at  some  time  it  might  have  belonged  in  a  mosque, 
and  have  looked  down  on  prostrate  worshippers  with 


Fig.  70.      KITCHEN  AT  VAN  CORTLAND  MANOR 


>        .  N  -  . 


Fig.  77.     COPPER   THURIBLE 
In  the  Chicago  Museum  of  Fine  Arts 


COPPER    UTENSILS  159 

flowing  robes  and  turbaned  heads.  It  is  very  heavy, 
and  the  workmanship,  notwithstanding  its  beauty,  is 
extremely  crude.  It  shows  the  traces  of  long  use,  for 
the  incense  was  sprinkled  on  hot  coals  to  make  it  give 
forth  its  odour. 

The  Japanese  and  Chinese  worked  in  copper  cen- 
turies ago,  and  produced  many  beautiful  forms.  The 
Japanese  got  their  copper  from  China  in  the  shape  of 
ingots,  although  the  metal  was  well  known  in  Japan 
from  the  seventh  century. 

The  Dutch  were  also  workers  in  copper  and  ex- 
ported much  of  it  in  ingots  as  well  as  in  manufactured 
articles.  The  uses  to  which  copper  was  put  were  not 
always  creditable,  for  in  some  instances  it  was  used 
to  debase  the  coinage.  In  1547  the  English  ordered 
"  2000  kyntales  "  of  copper  from  Flanders,  to  be  used 
in  their  silver  coins.  A  set  of  Prussian  coins  was  of 
copper,  silver-coated  only,  and  when,  after  a  time,  the 
silver  began  to  wear  off,  the  accident  provoked 
the  remark  that  "  the  king's  cheeks  were  blushing  for 
the  character  of  his  silbergroschen." 

The  early  adventurers  who  reached  the  American 
continent  found  that  the  natives  had  copper  ornaments 
and  implements.  Columbus,  when  at  the  Cape  of 
Honduras,  was  visited  by  a  canoe  of  trading  Indians. 
Among  the  various  articles  of  merchandise  which 
made  up  their  cargo  were  "small  hatchets,  made  of 
copper  to  hew  wood,  small  bells  and  plates,  crucibles 
to  melt  copper,  etc." 

When  the  Spaniards  first  entered  the  province  of 
Tuspan,  Bernal  Diaz  says: 


160          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

"  Each  Indian  had  beside  his  ornaments  of  gold,  a  copper  axe, 
which  was  very  highly  polished,  with  a  handle  curiously  carved, 
as  if  to  serve  equally  for  an  ornament  and  for  the  field  of  battle. 
We  first  thought  that  these  axes  were  made  of  an  inferior  kind 
of  gold;  we  therefore  commenced  taking  them  in  exchange,  and 
in  two  days  had  collected  more  than  six  hundred,  with  which  we 
were  no  less  rejoiced,  not  knowing  their  real  value,  than  the 
Indians  with  our  glass  beads." 

La  Vega  says  of  the  Peruvians : 

"  They  make  their  arms,  knives,  carpenter's  tools,  large  pins, 
hammers  for  their  forges,  and  their  mattocks,  of  copper  which 
they  seek  in  preference  to  gold." 

Raleigh  noted  copper  ornaments  on  the  Indians  of 
the  Carolinas.  Granville  speaks  of  copper  among 
the  Indians  of  Virginia.  "  It  was  of  the  colour  of 
our  copper,  but  softer."  This  was  as  early  as 

1585. 

Robert  Juet,  in  his  account  of  Hudson's  discovery  of 
the  river  which  bears  his  name,  asserts  that  the  savages 
"  had  red  copper  tobacco  pipes  and  other  things  of 
copper  which  they  did  wear  about  their  necks."  He 
makes  mention  in  another  place  of  "yellow  copper," 
as  being  distinct  from  "  red  copper."  In  an  Indian 
grave  in  St.  Lawrence  County,  N.  Y.,  were  found 
spearheads,  pointed,  double-edged,,  and  a  foot  long. 
Two  copper-bladed  knives  were  found  in  the  same 
region. 

The  Indians  of  New  England,  New  York,  and  Vir- 
ginia had  copper  implements  and  ornaments,  which 
were  obtained  from  native  deposits,  not  by  smelting 
the  ore.  The  English  pioneers  found  in  the  copper 


Fig.   TS.      rOI'I'EU  WAIlMIXG-rAN.  KETTLES.  ETC. 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  \Vilfonl  If.  Laicxhc 


Fig.  79.     GEORGE    WASHINGTON'S    WARMING-PAN 

In   Ilic  Xdtional  Mu. ten  in,   \Vfifi]>inf/ton 


Fig.    80.     COPPER     UTENSILS 
In    Deerflcld    Memorial    Hall 


Fig.  81.     PAUL  REVERE'S  COPPER  CHAFING-DISH 
In  the  Rooms  of  the  Antiquarian  Society,  Concord,  Mass, 


COPPER    UTENSILS  161 

mines,  or  pits,  masses  of  copper  already  at  hand,  which 
could  be  easily  worked  by  the  hammer-men  who  were 
coming  so  constantly  to  America. 
Heriot  says : 

"  In  two  towns  150  miles  from  the  main  are  found  divers  small 
plates  of  copper,  that  are  made,  we  are  told  by  the  inhabitants,  by 
people  who  dwell  -further  in  the  country,  where,  they  say  are 
mountains  and  rivers  which  yeild  white  grains  of  metal  which 
are  deemed  to  be  silver.  For  confirmation  whereof,  at  the  time 
of  out  first  arrival  in  the  country,  I  saw  two  small  pieces  of  silver 
grossly  beaten,  about  the  size  of  a  "  tester,"  hanging  in  the  ears 
of  a  Wiroance.  The  aforesaid  copper  plates  we  found  to  con- 
tain silver." 

A  "tester"  was  an  old  coin  about  the  weight  of  a 
silver  sixpence. 

When  Massasoit  first  appeared  in  Plymouth,  in 
1621,  Edward  Winslow,  as  messenger  from  the  Pil- 
grims, presented  him  with  some  gifts.  They  were  a 
pair  of  knives,  a  chain  of  copper  with  a  jewel  attached; 
and  for  Quadequina,  the  chief's  brother,  he  brought 
an  earring,  a  pot  of  strong  waters,  a  good  quantity  of 
biscuit,  and  some  butter.  The  "  strong  waters,"  you 
see,  made  their  appearance  early  in  our  bartering  with 
the  Indians.  Trading  went  on  steadily,  and  by 
twenty  years  later  the  Indians  had  acquired  some  of 
the  vices  as  well  as  some  of  the  articles  demanded  by 
civilisation. 

In  1647  some  Nipmuck  Indians  complained  that 
Uncas's  brother,  in  a  raid,  had  carried  away  ten  of 
their  copper  kettles.  Copper  beads  were  made  by  the 
Indians  themselves,  and  mines  are  being  worked 
to-day  in  Mexico  which  were  worked  in  prehistoric 


162         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

times,  as  is  indicated  by  the  remains  of  more  than  two 
hundred  ancient  furnaces. 

While  it  is  true  that  copper  was  found  and  worked 
in  America,  it  is  also  true  that  it  was  brought  here 
from  other  countries  in  the  sheet,  or  made  into  uten- 
sils. In  the  ship  "  John  and  Sarah, "  which  sailed 
from  London,  November  n,  1651,  there  were  shipped 
to  Thomas  Kember,  of  Charlestown,  Mass.,  provisions, 
iron,  metal-work,  household  utensils,  and  merchan- 
dise. The  same  merchant,  a  year  previously,  had  re- 
ceived a  cargo  of  linens  and  cloths  valued  at  over 
£2,000. 

Not  only  were  utensils  made  of  copper,  but  buttons 
were  not  uncommon.  There  were  snuff  and  patch 
boxes,  tea-caddies,  and  other  "  toys,"  besides  personal 
ornaments.  Kemp,  -in  his  "  Nine  Days'  Wonder," 
describes  the  host  at  Rockland  with  "  his  black  shoes 
shining  and  made  straight  with  copper  buckles  of  the 
best,  his  garters  in  the  fashion,"  etc. 

Among  the  articles  which  I  find  most  often  in  cop- 
per are  warming-pans,  and  they  are  often  very  orna- 
mental and  have  fine  handles.  We  are  apt  to  forget 
how  much  suffering  must  have  been  caused  by  the  cold 
houses  of  a  couple  of  centuries  ago,  and  while  it  is 
true  that  no  nation  keeps  such  hot  houses  as  we 
do,  it  is  also  a  fact  that  the  houses  themselves  are 
warmer. 

Among  the  "  Exchequer  Papers "  in  London  are 
many  charges  for  the  expenses  of  "  Poor  Nelly " 
Gwynne,  who  certainly  did  not  come  near  starving 
while  her  royal  lover  was  alive,  if  these  papers  are  to 


Fig.  82.     COPPER  KETTLE  AND  FURNACE 
In  the  Rooms  of  the  Anti<iit<iri<ni  Korirti/,  Concord,  Mass 


Fig.    83.     COPPER    UTENSILS 
From    the    Collection    of    Mr.    Ifaljth    Rurnham 


Fig.  84.       COPPER  POT 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.   William  M.  Hoyt 


Fig.   85.      COPPER    KETTLES.    RUSSIAN 
From   the  Collection   cf  Mr.   Dutlley  Hoyt 


COPPER    UTENSILS  163 

be  trusted.  Among  the  bills  for  the  year  1674  there 
are  charges  for  a  French  coach  and  for  a  great  cipher 
from  the  chariot-painter;  for  a  bedstead  with  silver 
ornaments ;  for  great  looking-glasses ;  for  oats  and 
beans ;  for  "  chaney  "  oranges  at  threepence  each ;  and 
for  cleans-ing  and  burnishing  the  warming-pan!  It 
is  somewhat  strange  that  among  the  few  relics  of  Nelly 
which  are  still  preserved  is  a  warming-pan,  perhaps 
the  very  one  which  was  "cleansed  and  burnished." 

Nathaniel  Pearsall,  of  Hempstead,  L.  I.,  in  1703 
left  by  special  bequest  to  his  five  daughters,  each  a 
warming-pan,  "  to  be  provided  by  my  executors."  He 
does  not  state  whether  they  were  to  be  of  copper  or 
brass,  but  let  us  hope  that  they  were  of  the  former 
metal,  since  those  were  so  much  handsomer.  A  rather 
plain  example  of  one  of  these  pans  is  shown  in  Figure 
78,  which  has  upon  it  some  engraving,  and  is  possibly 
of  Dutch  make.  In  the  same  picture  are  some  other 
copper  utensils;  the  long-handled  ladle  is  more  often 
found  of  brass  than  of  copper,  but  this  one  is  entirely 
of  copper. 

A  far  handsomer  warming-pan  is  shown  in  the  next 
illustration,  Figure  79,  and  it  has  a  historical  interest 
as  well,  for  it  belonged  to  George  Washington  and 
was  in  use  at  Mount  Vernon.  It  is  of  splendid  hue, 
with  a  carved  mahogany  handle,  and,  besides  having 
seen  service,  it  is  worn  by  frequent  cleanings.  The 
pierced  work  on  the  cover  is  fine.  Within  recent  years 
it  has  been  the  fashion  to  collect  such  old  covers  and 
have  them  mounted  for  sconces,  with  branches  for 
candles  arranged  on  either  side.  I  first  saw  this  use 


164  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

for  them  in  Brussels,  but  the  thrifty  Dutch  have  sent 
many  over  here,  and  you  may  find  them  hanging  in 
many  a  house,  the  owner  of  which  has  not  the  faintest 
idea  of  the  homely  origin  of  her  "  antique  "  sconces. 
They  have  the  merit,  however,  of  being  really  antique. 
A  third  pan,  with  some  pretty  engraving  on  it,  is  shown 
in  Figure  80.  The  work  on  these  pans  is  usually  of 
a  conventional  character,  but  the  engraving  on  this 
specimen  shows  a  bird  holding  what  is  presumably 
an  olive-branch  in  its  mouth,  sitting  upon  a  twig  bear- 
ing many  flowers.  The  handle  is  of  fine  wood,  cherry, 
but  is  not  carved.  The  copper  candlesticks  in  this 
picture  have  a  pattern  about  the  base  and  top,  and  are 
not  common  articles.  The  pan  with  the  heavy  handles 
was  to  be  used  on  some  sort  of  a  trivet,  while  the  other 
is  merely  a  bowl.  All  the  articles  have  seen  much 
service  and  belong  in  New  England. 

Another  New  England  relic  is  the  chafing-dish,  or 
brazier  for  charcoal,  and  the  kettle  which  goes  with 
it,  to  be  seen  in  Figure  81.  These  were  made  about 
the  year  1780  by  Paul  Revere,  and  in  1875  were  given 
to  the  Concord  Antiquarian  Society  by  his  grandson, 
John  Revere.  They  are  of  handsome  work,  as  may 
be  seen,  the  handles  of  the  dish  being  graceful  and 
massive.  We  are  used  to  think  that  the  chafing-dish 
is  a  product  of  the  modern  cooking-school,  but  it  is  a 
very  ancient  utensil,  and  there  were  numerous  instances 
of  it  in  America  from  the  earliest  days  of  the  colonies, 
like  the  one  owned  by  the  widow  Cotymore,  which  is 
named  in  her  inventory  as  a  "  cop.  furnace." 

Governor  Montgomerie's  belongings  were  auctioned 


Fig.  86.     COPPER  UTENSILS,   RUSSIAN 
rtnii  the  Collection  of  .1/r.s.  Charles  P.  Barry 


Fig.  87.     COPPER  UTENSILS,  RUSSIAN 
From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry 


Fig.  88.     COPPER   COFFEE-POTS   AND   KETTLES,    RUSSIAN 
From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry 


Fig.  89.     COPPER  COFFEE-POT  AND  BOWLS,  RUSSIAN 
From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  Charles  P.  Barry 


COPPER    UTENSILS  165 

off  about  1731.  Among  them  were  "a  large  fixt 
Copper  Boyling  pot.  A  large  Iron  Fire-place,  Iron 
bars  and  Doors  for  a  Copper."  Copper  "  furnaces  " 
and  grates  could  be  bought  here  by  1751.  In  1760 
"polished  copper  chafing-dishes  and  copper  kitchens 
with  stands  "  were  advertised  for  sale  in  New  York. 

Another  form  of  furnace  or  brazier  stands  under  the 
copper  kettle  in  Figure  82.  This  is  a  more  ordinary 
form  of  kettle  than  that  made  by  Paul  Revere.  The 
quaint  little  iron  brazier  on  which  it  rests  is  not  usual, 
and  was  probably  made  by  some  workman  for  his 
own  family.  The  hot  coals  were  put  in  the  upper 
perforated  part,  and  the  whole  contrivance  could  stand 
on  the  floor,  the  iron  shelf  preventing  the  heat  from 
scorching,  or  hot  coals  from  falling  on  the  boards  and 
setting  things  on  fire,  since  one  of  the  deadliest  enemies 
of  our  forefathers  was  fire,  which  had  to  be  fought  by 
the  most  primitive  methods.  This  kettle  and  stand 
are  also  at  Concord,  but  the  kettle  and  measures  in 
the  next  picture  (Figure  83)  are  at  Ipswich,  Mass. 
This  style  of  kettle  was  quite  general,  and  there  were 
some  examples  which  had  an  extra  part  added  for 
standing  among  the  coals.  In  some  instances  this 
lower  part  was  of  iron,  but  in  the  oldest  vessels  copper 
was  the  metal  used  throughout  the  entire  kettle,  and 
it  was  shaped  by  hand. 

I  call  the  two  cup-like  vessels  on  the  end,  "  mea- 
sures," for  lack  of  a  better  name,  and  metal  measures 
were  in  use  for  dealing  out  "  cyder  "  as  well  as  "  N.  E. 
rum,"  and  every  storekeeper  was  supposed  to  have  a 
set.  The  two  articles  next  the  kettle  have  heavier 


i66          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

bottoms  and  show  the  effects  of  heat,  but  they  are  all 
fine  things,  and  handsome  pieces  of  metal. 

In  Figure  91  are  shown  some  quaint  old  kettles 
hanging  on  the  crane  in  the  fireplace  in  Massachusetts 
Hall,  the  original  building  of  Bowdoin  College.  This 
hall  was  built  in  1802,  and  in  this  capacious  fireplace, 
which  has  remained  unchanged  since  the  day  the  first 
logs  blazed  upon  its  broad  hearth,  Longfellow  did  his 
cooking.  The  college  records  do  not  say  whether  he 
was  a  good  cook  or  not,  but  he  had  the  best  facilities 
which  the  college  afforded, — an  open  hearth  with 
swinging  crane  and  glowing  coals  being  considered  far 
superior  to  the  cooking-stoves  of  that  day.  He  was  but 
fourteen  when  he  entered  Bowdoin  in  the  year  1821 
and  commenced  living  in  this  quaint  old  room. 

Another  cooking-utensil  of  primitive  make  is  that 
in  Figure  84,  showing  most  plainly  of  all  the  marks 
of  the  hammer,  and  having  a  cover  of  similar  stout 
make.  It  is  capable  of  holding  a  couple  of  gallons, 
and  the  handles,  which  are  of  course  rivetted  on,  are 
susceptible  of  lifting  a  heavy  weight.  This  piece  was 
recently  picked  up  in  New  York  State,  and  is  a  most 
interesting  find.  Many  of  these  odd  pieces  were  the 
work  of  domestic  tinkers,  or  of  metal-workers  who 
filled  individual  orders  or  made  articles  which  they 
thought  would  suit  the  local  market.  They  are  much 
more  interesting  to  the  collector  than  the  conventional 
shapes,  and  consequently  command  higher  prices.  AH 
the  pieces  in  the  next  illustration  (Figure  85)  have  a 
foreign  look,  except  the  old  teapot  at  the  end.  They 
were  spoils  from  some  Polish  Jews  who  were  only 


Fi£.  90.     COFFEE-URN 
From  the  Collection  of  Mrs.  David  Hoj/t, 


COPPER    UTENSILS  167 

too  glad  to  exchange  them  for  granite-ware  or 
even  tin,  and  they  are  now  ornamenting  a  collector's 
studio. 

If  you  create  a  demand  a  supply  will  spring  up  to 
meet  it,  and  the  enthusiasm  which  has  developed  over 
Russian  coppers  and  brasses  is  being  catered  to. 
Undoubtedly  much  fine  old  ware  is  being  brought 
into  the  United  States,  and  if  you  have  the  opportunity 
and  desire  to  seek  some  pieces  from  the  arriving 
immigrants,  you  may  obtain  them.  But  to  see  the 
artist-artisan  at  work  on  his  "antiques,"  visit  New 
York's  great  Russian  quarter,  and  you  will  see  shop 
windows  shining  with  thousands  of  pieces.  In  Allen 
Street  you  will  hear  the  sound  of  the  metal-worker  as 
he  swings  his  mallet,  and  if  you  are  allowed  to  pene- 
trate the  dusky  recesses  of  the  back  shop  you  will  find 
at  work  a  swarthy  man  with  dark  eyes,  and  hanging 
around  him  are  shears  and  pincers,  hammers  and  mal- 
lets, sheets  of  copper  and  patterns  by  which  to  cut  out 
his  metal.  He  works  at  a  long  rough  table,  and  near 
at  hand  is  a  crude  furnace  at  which  he  heats  his  metal, 
and  when  it  is  at  the  proper  temperature  to  make  it 
malleable,  he  begins  to  hammer  it  into  shape,  stroke 
by  stroke.  As  it  slowly  takes  form  you  see  the  grace- 
ful shapes  you  admire  growing  before  your  eyes,  with 
the  hammer-marks  which  are  always  so  esteemed  as 
showing  the  work  to  be  hand-made  rather  than 
machine-made.  To  suit  "  the  trade,"  some  of  these 
newly  made  goods  are  battered  and  dented,  and  hung 
in  the  smoke  to  darken. 

A  sight  by  no  means  uncommon  in  these  shops 


168          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

in  the  Ghetto,  is  that  of  an  old  woman  of  foreign 
aspect,  poking  among  the  articles  of  brass  and  copper 
with  which  the  corners  are  filled,  and  muttering  to 
herself  in  a  strange,  foreign  tongue,  as  she  sets  forth 
one  article  after  another :  a  great  tea-kettle,  a  cooking- 
vessel,  a  pot  or  two-handled  cup, — something  that  is 
like  the  things  she  was  used  to  at  home.  She  asks 
the  prices,  she  tries  to  beat  the  dealer  down,  and  at  last 
almost  sadly  replaces  the  things  she  has  picked  out, 
not  able  to  understand  why,  as  they  are  old,  they  should 
cost  so  much.  Her  pennies  are  few,  and  the  push- 
cart man  just  outside  has  things  which  will  answer  her 
purposes  quite  as  well,  and  for  which  she  will  pay 
so  little. 

Figures  86  and  87  show  some  of  these  Russian 
brasses,  all  of  them  obtained  directly  from  the  peas- 
ants themselves.  Most  of  these  articles  are  made  from 
a  single  piece  of  copper,  but  in  the  worn  old  kettle  in 
Figure  87  a  new  bottom  has  been  added,  and  the  upper 
part  has  been  patched  many  times.  The  copper,  from 
much  subjection  to  heat,  is  almost  like  parchment  and 
seems  ready  to  crumble  at  a  touch,  but  it  is  a  beauti- 
ful colour,  and  one  wonders  at  its  history.  Who 
knows,  perhaps  it  was  carried  along  in  "  The  Flight 
of  a  Tartar  tribe."  It  may  have  touched  Siberia,  and 
come  back,  but  few  things  even  so  sturdy  as  copper 
kettles  have  done  that! 

The  tall,  graceful,  and  Oriental-looking  coffee-pots 
shown  in  Figures  88  and  89  were  obtained  from  the 
same  sources,  those  in  Figure  88  seeming  the  older. 
Such  pieces  as  these  are  great  ornaments  and  seem  to 


Fig.  91.    LONGFELLOW'S  FIREPLACE  AT  BOWDOIN  COLLEGE 


COPPER    UTENSILS  169 

show  best  in  a  dusky  corner,  whence  the  gleam  of  the 
red  copper  is  very  effective. 

As  the  last  illustration  in  this  part  (Figure  90)  I 
give  an  American  coffee-urn,  as  widely  different  in 
form  from  the  preceding  ones  as  can  be  imagined. 
It  is  about  a  hundred  years  old,  and  was  made  at  the 
time  when  "  green  ivory "  was  so  fashionable  for 
knife-handles,  a  fancy  which  did  not  last  long.  The 
knob  of  the  handle  of  the  spout  is  of  this  green  ivory, 
and  looks  very  well  against  the  copper  hue  of  the  urn 
itself.  One  curious  detail  is  that  the  body  is  set  on 
at  right  angles  to  the  base,  so  that  the  spout  comes  at 
a  corner.  The  coffee  is  kept  hot  by  putting  a  hot  iron 
into  a  receptacle  in  the  inside  of  the  urn,  a  common 
way  before  the  use  of  spirit-lamps.  Coffee  has  had 
many  bad  names  applied  to  it,  among  them  being 
"  Polititian's  Porridge "  and  "  Mahometan  Gruel." 
Perhaps  the  latter  name  could  be  applied  to  the  fluid 
which  came  from  the  vessels  in  the  former  pictures, 
but  I  am  assured  that  nothing  but  the  most  fragrant 
beverage  ever  flowed  from  this  last  antique,  which 
even  to-day  is  of  use.  The  hammer-marks  are  plainly 
visible  on  its  inner  sides,  and  the  pierced  work  at  the 
top  is  made  by  hand  and  allows  the  aroma  to  escape. 
The  collector  who  owns  it  worked  for  months  before 
she  could  obtain  possession  of  it,  and  when  you  come 
to  the  matter  of  price,  she  becomes  very  reticent! 


PART  V 

SHEFFIELD     PLATE 


PART   V 

SHEFFIELD    PLATE 

THE  city  of  Sheffield  has  long  been  famous  for  its 
manufactories,  and  is  known  to  the  world  as  the  place 
where  the  best  cutlery  is  made.  It  was  famous  for 
its  knives  as  early  as  1380,  for  at  that  time  Chaucer 
wrote  of  the  Sheffield  "  whyttles,"  as  they  were  then 
called.  In  this  town,  as  in  so  many  in  England,  the 
changes,  both  economic  and  social,  from  the  eighteenth 
to  the  beginning  of  the  twentieth  century,  seem  more 
far-reaching  and  considerable  than  those  from  the  six- 
teenth to  the  eighteenth  century.  From  the  former 
period  (about  the  year  1700),  England  progressed  by 
leaps  and  bounds,  and  in  no  one  place  was  this  more 
noticeable  than  in  the  smoky  city  on  the  Don. 

It  was  not  until  nearly  the  close  of  the  first  half  of 
the  eighteenth  century  that  merchants  began  to  send 
their  wares  beyond  the  narrow  confines  of  their  own 
county,  and  to  seek  wider  sales  for  their  goods  than 
could  be  obtained  at  the  annual  fairs  held  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood. Joshua  Fox  is  said  to  have  been  the  first 
merchant  of  Sheffield  to  enter  into  personal  relations 
with  London,  and  when  in  1723  he  started  out  to  make 
the  journey  thither,  he  left  behind  him  a  weeping  wife 
and  children  and  uneasy  neighbours.  He  walked  the 
first  day  as  far  as  Mansfield,  and  rested  there  that  night 
and  part  of  the  next  day,  "  until  travellers  met  together 

173 


174        OLD     PEWTER,     BRASS,      ETC. 

in  sufficient  numbers  to  brave  the  perils  of  Notting- 
ham Forest,  dreaded  both  for  its  robbers  and  the 
intricacies  of  the  road." 

Even  by  1771  London  methods  were  not  understood, 
and  Sheffield  merchants  declined  to  give  a  discount, 
preferring  the  smaller  sales  at  home.  The  trade  was 
of  course  much  circumscribed,  and  consisted  chieily 
in  the  preparation  of  the  raw  material  for  the  manu- 
facturer. The  goods  which  were  made  there  were  sent 
out  to  the  neighbouring  towns  by  pack-horse,  and  all 
the  manufactories  were  small  ones. 

By  1747  a  Mr.  Joseph  Broadbent  took  the  first  step 
in  opening  business  relations  with  foreign  houses,  and 
his  example  was  followed  by  other  merchants.  In 
1742  a  new  trade  was  added  to  the  large  number 
already  practised  in  the  town,  which  added  much  to  its 
importance  and  prosperity,  and  tended  to  raise  Shef- 
field to  a  place  among  the  great  industrial  centres  of 
England.  This  trade  was  the  manufacture  of  plated 
articles  to  take  the  place  of  silver  ones,  and  though  the 
story  of  the  discovery  of  silver-plating  is  an  old  one, 
I  shall  tell  it  here  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  have  not 
heard  it  before. 

"  Mr.  Thomas  Bolsover,  an  ingenious  mechanic,  when  employed 
in  repairing  the  handle  of  a  knife,  composed  partly  of  copper  and 
partly  of  silver,  was,  by  the  accidental  fusion  of  the  two  metals, 
struck  with  the  possibility  of  uniting  them  so  as  to  form  a  cheap 
substance  which  should  have  an  exterior  of  silver,  and  which 
might  be  used  for  the  manufacture  of  articles  which  had  hitherto 
been  made  of  silver  only.  He  consequently  began  a  manufac- 
ture of  articles  made  of  copper,  plated  with  silver,  but  confined 
himself  to  buttons,  snuff-boxes,  and  other  light  and  small  articles. 


SHEFFIELD    PLATE  175 

Like  many  other  inventors  he  did  not  see  the  full  value  of  his 
discovery,  and  it  was  reserved  for  another  member  of  the  Cor- 
poration of  Cutlers  of  Sheffield,  Mr.  Joseph  Hancock,  to  show  to 
What  other  uses  copper,  plated  with  silver,  might  be  applied,  and 
how  successfully  it  was  possible  to  imitate  the  finest  and  most 
richly  embossed  plate.  Workmen  were  secured  from  among 
the  ingenious  mechanics  of  Sheffield,  who  in  a  few  years,  aided  by 
Mr.  Tudor  and  Mr.  Leader  and  a  few  other  operative  silver- 
smiths from  London,  soon  equalled,  in  the  elegance  of  their  de- 
signs and  the  splendour  of  their  ornament,  the  choicest  articles 
of  solid  silver." 

The  manufacture  of  Old  Sheffield  Plate  has  long 
since  died  out,  and  the  present  metal  on  which  silver 
is  plated  is  composed  of  copper,  nickel,  and  zinc,  and 
is  white  in  its  tint,  while  the  old  ware  was  plated  on 
copper.  The  process  was  interesting,  and  from  an 
old  account  of  the  manufacture,  I  give  the  following 
details. 

A  number  of  pounds  of  copper,  say  twenty-five  or 
thirty,  were  put  into  a  melting-pot  with  some  hand- 
fuls  of  charcoal.  When  the  copper  was  all  melted 
(some  manufacturers  adding  a  little  brass,  the  copper 
alone  being  too  flexible)  it  was  run  into  a  mould  of 
ingot  shape,  the  common  size  being  two  and  a  half 
inches  broad  by  one  and  a  half  inches  thick,  and  in 
length  according  to  the  size  of  the  piece  to  be  made. 
This  ingot  was  then  planed,  scraped,  and  polished 
perfectly  clean  and  smooth.  A  sheet  of  silver,  which 
varied  in  thickness  from  one  sixteenth  to  one  half  of 
an  inch,  was  then  taken,  made  exactly  the  same  size 
as  the  copper  ingot  to  which  it  was  to  be  applied,  and, 
like  the  ingot,  scraped  and  cleaned,  and  made  free 
from  any  imperfections.  The  two  cleaned  surfaces 


i/6          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

were  then  put  together,  great  care  being  taken  to  avoid 
handling  them. 

The  next  step  in  the  process  was  to  place  upon  the 
silver  another  sheet  of  copper,  about  half  an  inch  thick, 
and  somewhat  smaller  in  size  than  the  silver,  and  then 
upon  the  whole  was  put  a  strong  iron  plate,  also  some- 
what smaller  than  the  silver,  and  not  more  than  half 
an  inch  in  thickness.  These  plates  were  then  bound 
securely  together  with  heavy  iron  wire,  so  that  they 
should  maintain  their  relative  positions  when  put  into 
the  fire  for  the  process  of  soldering  the  silver  on  the 
copper.  Borax  and  water  was  then  applied  to  the 
edges  of  the  silver,  the  ingot  was  placed  in  a  plating- 
furnace  heated  with  coke,  and  kept  there  till  the  silver 
was  flush  around  the  edge.  The  ingot  was  then 
removed  with  a  pair  of  specially  constructed  tongs 
which  did  not  press  into  the  metal,  was  placed  in  a 
position  which  kept  it  perfectly  level,  and  left  there 
till  the  silver  had  set.  This  process  was  repeated  if 
both  sides  of  the  piect  to  be  made  required  plating, 
such  articles  as  dish-covers,  which  were  immensely 
popular  at  one  time,  being  plated  on  one  side  only, 
the  inner  side  being  tinned  when  the  article  was 
made  up. 

After  the  ingot  was  coated  with  silver,  the  second 
step  was  to  roll  the  ingot  to  the  required  thickness, 
and  this  was  done  by  passing  the  ingot  through  rollers 
in  the  usual  way.  Having  got  the  ingot  into  sheet 
metal  of  the  required  thickness,  the  next  step  was  to 
cut  it  in  a  pattern  of  the  article  to  be  made.  It  is  at 
this  stage  that  the  silver  shield,  which  is  the  best  test 


Fiff.  92.     SHEFFIELD-PLATE    TRAYS 
From  the  Collection  of  Mr.  H.  Coopland,  Sheffield,  England 


Fig.  93.     SHEFFIELD-PLATE,   CASTORS   AND   DISHES 


SHEFFIELD    PLATE  177 

of  Old  Sheffield  Plate,  was  added.  If  the  article  to  be 
made  was  round  ware,  like  cups,  teapots,  jugs,  or 
urns,  the  two  edges  were  brought  together,  being  dove- 
tailed into  each  other,  and  then  soldered  together  with 
filed  solid  silver.  The  article  then  presented  the  form 
of  a  tube,  and  was  put  upon  what  was  known  as  a 
"  stake,"  and  the  joining  was  thoroughly  hammered 
till  it  was  flat  and  smooth. 

The  pattern  was  then  given  to  the  workman,  and 
with  a  tool  known  as  a  "  bellying-hammer,"  he 
brought  the  body  to  its  greatest  diameter,  and  the 
other  portions  to  their  required  shape.  It  can  be  seen 
that  this  work  required  a  high  class  of  mechanics,  and 
some  of  these  had  a  habit  of  going  on  "  sprees,"  the 
proprietor  advancing  the  money,  often  in  considerable 
sums,  even  a  hundred  pounds,  as  the  only  condition  on 
which  the  workmen  would  return,  so  secure  were  they 
of  their  ability  to  obtain  places.  This  state  of  things 
became  intolerable,  and  as  more  men  learned  the  work 
the  conditions  improved. 

All  the  second  step  of  the  work — the  bringing  the 
article  to  its  required  shape — was  called  "  raising," 
and  the  tool  was  a  mallet  of  horn,  while  the  stake  was 
of  steel.  After  the  required  shape  was  obtained,  the 
article  was  hammered  over  a  number  of  times,  first 
with  a  bare  hammer,  and  afterward  with  a  hammer 
with  a  steel  facing  strapped  to  it,  while  a  pad  of  cloth 
was  wrapped  around  the  stake,  so  as  to  give  the  article 
a  fine  smooth  surface. 

The  feet,  handles,  or  mounts  were  then  added,  and 
this  was  an  elaborate  and  difficult  process,  as  these 


i;8          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

pieces  were  made  of  a  thin  sheet  of  silver  struck  in 
a  steel  die  which  required  great  care  and  expense  to 
get  to  the  proper  state  of  perfection.  After  being 
struck,  the  mounts  were  filled  with  solder,  and  bent, 
on  some  soft  substance  like  lead,  to  the  proper  shape. 
They  were  then  soldered  on  to  the  article,  such  as  a  tray 
or  any  round  piece  like  a  teapot,  a  sugar-bowl,  etc.,  the 
surface  around  the  site  of  the  mount  being  carefully 
painted  over  with  whiting,  so  that  the  solder  should  not 
run  on  the  silvered  surface.  The  object  was  then  care- 
fully heated,  and  the  mounts  pressed  in  place  by  some- 
thing soft,  like  cork,  the  heat  being  kept  up  till  the 
solder  was  just  at  the  melting-point,  but  not  running, 
which  would  ruin  the  article.  After  cooling,  the  whit- 
ing was  washed  off,  and  the  piece  was  ready  for  the 
next  step. 

This  was  the  addition  of  the  silver  edges,  which 
were  applied  to  the  body  of  the  article  on  one  side, 
and  passed  under  the  mounts  on  the  other  edge,  being 
soldered  down  on  both  sides.  The  article  was  now 
ready  for  the  decorator,  if  it  was  to  be  chased,  and 
finally  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  burnisher  and 
polisher.  The  burnishing  was  done  by  women  with  a 
bit  of  fine  polished  steel,  worked  by  hand  in  different 
ways.  It  can  be  seen  that  this  process  of  manufacture 
was  elaborate  and  necessarily  expensive. 

For  the  first  sixty  years  after  Bolsover's  discovery 
copper  was  plated  on  one  side  only,  and  when  any 
article  had  to  be  plated  both  inside  and  out  it  was  made 
of  two  sheets  of  plate,  the  edges  being  drawn  over 
so  as  to  expose  the  silvered  sides  to  view.  After  a 


SHEFFIELD    PLATE  179 

time  it  was  found  possible  to  coat  the  copper  on  both 
sides,  and  so  well  do  some  of  these  old  pieces  wear  that 
they  are  still  in  splendid  condition,  showing  at  the 
edges  only  any  signs  of  the  copper. 

In  England  the  term  most  frequently  applied  to  this 
plated  ware  is  "  Close  Plate,"  and  when  the  copper 
shows  through  at  the  edges  it  is  known  to  the 
trade  as  "  bleeding," — a  very  comprehensive  term. 
Although  we  in  America  are  apt  to  associate  this  kind 
of  ware  with  the  city  of  Sheffield  only,  the  fact  remains 
that  it  was  also  made  in  Birmingham.  In  that  city 
they  seemed  to  confine  themselves  largely  to  the 
smaller  class  of  articles,  like  snuff-boxes,  buttons,  and 
boxes.  In  fact  Sheffield  says  that  Birmingham  has 
been  remarkable  for  three  things  only,  buttons,  buckles, 
and  riots !  Certainly  when  we  come  to  read  the  history 
of  the  city  it  seems  to  have  made  its  share  of  the 
former,  and  undoubtedly  it  had  more  than  its  share 
of  the  latter. 

I  have  mentioned  what  an  important  article  of  trade 
buttons  were,  and  though  they  held  the  field  longer 
they  did  not  at  any  time  arrive  at  the  importance 
which  buckles  held.  For  at  least  one  hundred  and 
fifty  years,  buckles  played  an  important  part  in  the 
dress  of  every  man,  woman,  and  child  in  Great 
Britain,  and  thousands  of  pairs  were  exported 
annually.  They  first  made  their  appearance  about 
1659,  and  were  about  the  size  of  a  bean,  for  at  that 
time  the  metals  employed  were  either  gold  or  silver, 
and  while  the  nobility  sported  diamonds  in  their 
buckles,  the  middle  class  were  content  with  paste.  In 


i8o         OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

few  fashion-books  can  be  found  any  reference  to 
buckles,  yet  they  flourished  till  about  1800,  rising  and 
falling  from  the  hat  to  the  foot,  and  they  were  some- 
times to  be  found  on  foot,  knee,  and  cap,  in  the 
same  costume.  If  you  consult  the  pictures  of  the  old 
masters,  you  will  find  that  buckles  are  lacking  in  those 
painted  by  Van  Dyck,  are  occasionally  present  in  those 
of  Lely  and  Van  Loo,  and  are  ever  present  in  the  lovely 
portraits  of  Gainsborough,  while  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds 
painted  his  admirals  in  small-clothes  with  long  stock- 
ings and  buckled  shoes,  a  costume  which  has  now  dis- 
appeared from  the  navy  except  on  the  stage.  In 
Hogarth's  striking  pictures  of  life  in  his  time  in  Lon- 
don, you  will  find  buckles  alike  on  his  drunken  soldiers, 
on  his  apprentices,  on  the  women  of  that  class,  and  on 
the  "  lady-friends "  of  the  soldiers.  But  among 
women  of  the  higher  classes,  such  as  are  pictured  in 
"  Marriage  a  la  Mode,"  they  are  absent,  though  in  the 
songs  of  the  period  they  are  often  satirized,  and  one 
of  the  dances  was  called  "Cover  the  Buckle."  Pepys, 
the  indefatigable,  mentions  in  his  diary  for  January 
22,  1659,  "  This  day  I  began  to  put  buckles  on  my 
shoes." 

In  the  "  Toilet  of  England,"  it  mentions  for 
1670: 

"  The  Spanish  leather  boot  introduced  under  Charles  I  still  con- 
tinues to  be  the  fashion,  but  the  immense  Roses  on  the  shoes  have 
gradually  declined,  and  are  replaced  by  wide  strings  and  buckles." 

In  order  to  supply  those  persons  who  wished,  as 
far  as  they  could,  to  follow  the  mode  set  by  the  court, 
the  buckle-makers  of  Sheffield,  Birmingham,  Wol- 


Fig.  94.     TJRNS,    WINE-COOLERS,    AND   TRAYS 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  181 

verhampton,  and  many  other  towns  made  immense 
numbers.  When  the  fashion  was  at  its  height  2,500,- 
ooo  buckles  were  made  at  Birmingham  alone,  and 
when  there  was  a  change  in  the  fashion  it  caused 
the  greatest  apprehension.  In  the  "  Annual  Register  " 
for  December  14,  1791,  appears  the  following  note: 

"  Several  respectable  buckle-makers  from  Birmingham,  Wal- 
sall,  and  Wolverhampton  waited  upon  H.  R.  H.  the  Prince  of 
Wales  with  a  petition  setting  forth  the  distressed  situation  of 
thousands  in  the  different  branches  of  the  buckle  trade,  from  the 
fashion  now  and  for  some  time  back  so  prevalent  of  wearing 
shoe-strings  instead  of  buckles.  H.  R.  H.,  after  considering  the 
petition  very  attentively,  graciously  promised  his  utmost  assis- 
tance by  his  example  and  influence." 

The  "  Gazette  "  announces  after  this  appeal : 

"  The  unmanly  shoe-string  will  henceforth  be  thrown  aside  for 
the  buckle.  On  his  birthday,  his  Royal  Highness,  and  all  his 
sisters,  appeared  in  the  Soho  new-invented  shoe  latchets,  and  have 
since  continued  to  wear  them.  Indeed  no  well-dressed  gentle- 
man or  lady  now  appears  without  these  buttons,  and  the  orna- 
ment of  the  buckle." 

But  for  all  this  the  shoe-buckle  died,  and  the  effeminate 
shoe-string  came  in.  At  the  time  of  their  greatest 
popularity  buckles  were  made  from  gold,  silver-gilt, 
silver,  Sheffield  plate,  paste  (both  French  and  Eng- 
lish), brass,  copper,  glass,  jet,  pinchbeck,  gun-metal, 
steel,  and  sometimes  wood.  Sir  S.  Ponsonby  Fane, 
long  a  collector  of  brass  and  iron  work,  has  made  a 
collection  of  these  buckles,  and  has  about  four 
hundred.  Many  of  them  are  of  this  Old  Close  Plate 
and  are  very  ornamental,  the  plate  in  some  cases  being 
decorated  wit'n  knobs  or  buttons  of  cut  steel. 


i82  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

I  have,  myself,  a  pair  of  these  old  plate  buckles 
which  I  got  years  ago  in  Holland,  and  which  have  the 
two  stars  of  the  Soho  Plate  Works  of  Birmingham. 
They  have  hand-wrought  steel  points  to  hold  the 
leather,  and  beautiful  tiny  raised  stars  are  the  orna- 
ment. Every  half  inch  all  around  the  top,  there  are, 
besides,  cut  steel  facets,  which  gleam  brightly  when 
they  are  polished.  These  buckles  "  bleed  "  in  many 
places,  and  plainly  show  the  silver  edges.  They  are 
not  very  large,  measuring  only  two  inches  across  the 
long  way,  and  they  are  oval  in  shape. 

In  the  early  clays  of  the  Colonies  buckles  were  much 
worn  in  America,  and  many  of  them  were  of  good  gold 
plate,  for  it  was  only  the  few  who  could  squander 
much  coin  on  such  frivolities  as  these.  What  has 
become  of  all  these  millions  of  shoe-buckles  it  would  be 
hard  to  say.  As  they  were  small,  they  were  probably 
thrown  into  the  scrap-heap  as  entirely  worthless, 
unless  they  were  of  paste  or  some  of  the  more  precious 
metals. 

In  many  of  the  illustrations  of  this  subject  you  will 
see  that  the  article  is  marked  with  either  initials  or 
a  crest.  Heraldry  has  long  been  a  hobby  with  our 
English  cousins,  and  we  are  now  taking  up  the  cry, 
having  crests  and  quarterings  made  to  suit  our  fancy 
if  we  have  no  such  belongings  rightfully  in  the 
family. 

To  meet  this  demand  for  marking  one's  possessions 
which  was  felt  by  nearly  every  would-be  purchaser, 
the  Sheffield  manufacturer  imbedded  in  his  Close  Plate 
a  shield  of  pure  silver,  so  that  engraving  would  not 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  183 

cause  "  bleeding."  The  manner  in  which  this  was 
inserted  was  a  delicate  process  requiring  the  most  care- 
ful handling.  The  object  to  which  the  shield  was 
to  be  attached  had  a  hole  cut  from  a  copper  scale  which 
fitted  over  it,  of  the  proper  size  and  shape,  and  a  piece 
to  fit  it  exactly  was  cut  from  a  sheet  of  silver,  and  the 
edges  bevelled  off  for  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  all 
around,  which  process  was  called  "  tapering  off."  It 
enabled  the  workman  afterward  to  hammer  the  joining 
so  that  it  could  not  be  perceived.  Both  the  shield 
and  the  article  to  which  it  was  to  be  attached  was 
dipped  in  vitriol  and  waterr  and  carefully  cleaned  with 
very  fine  brickdust.  The  shield  was  then  fitted  to  its 
place,  and  with  the  article  was  taken  to  a  hearth.  As 
in  the  previous  work,  a  fire  of  charcoal  supplied  the 
heat,  and  the  workman  increased  this  at  his  convenience 
by  a  pair  of  bellows  which  he  worked  with  his  foot. 
The  article  was  made  red-hot,  pains  being  taken  that  it 
did  not  get  too  hot,  which  would  cause  the  silver  plate 
to  blister.  At  exactly  the  right  moment,  when  both 
article  and  shield  were  at  the  proper  degree  of  heat, 
the  workman  took  a  steel  instrument  and  began  to  rub 
around  the  edges  of  the  shield,  keeping  both  articles 
red-hot,  and  subduing  the  heat  in  the  steel  tool  by 
plunging  it  constantly  in  water.  He  gradually  rubbed 
it  over  the  surface  of  the  whole  shield  till  the  latter 
became  firmly  attached  to  the  metal  below.  Of  course 
great  care  was  taken  that  no  air  remained  between 
the  shield  and  the  metal,  for  in  that  case  the  silver 
would  blister.  This  could  be  remedied  by  pricking 
the  blister  and  rubbing  the  smoothing-tool  over  the 


184          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

surface.  The  article  was  then  put  on  a  steel  stake  and 
well  hammered,  so  that  it  was  quite  impossible  to 
detect  the  joint.  No  solder  was  ever  used,  the  work- 
man who  did  this  branch  of  the  work  having  to  be  an 
expert  in  his  craft.  On  a  large  tray  the  shield  had  to 
be  about  four  inches  by  three  in  size,  and  was  usually 
in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the  article  on  which  it  was 
to  be  placed.  Small  articles  did  not  have  these  shields 
as  a  rule. 

The  patterns  in  the  Sheffield  plate  followed  right 
along  after  the  fashions  of  the  same  period  in  silver 
ware.  \Yhen  it  became  the  style  to  have  the  inside 
of  pitchers,  sugar-bowls,  and  cups  gilded,  the  Shef- 
field makers  were  no  whit  behind  the  silversmiths, 
and  their  ware  was  gilded  too.  In  the  gilding,  fine 
gold  and  mercury  were  used.  An  amalgam  was  made 
by  boiling  the  gold  in  about  five  times  its  weight  of 
mercury,  the  process  taking  place  in  an  iron  ladle  which 
had  been  coated  with  whiting  and  water  and  then 
dried.  After  the  boiling  had  been  completed  the 
amalgam  was  poured  into  cold  water,  which  brought 
it  to  a  semi-fluid  condition.  Then  it  was  put  in  a 
leather  bag  and  squeezed,  this  simple  method  getting 
rid  of  the  mercury,  which  was  forced  through  the 
leather,  the  gold  alone  remaining  in  the  bag.  When 
the  mercury  was  extracted,  and  the  lump  of  gold  was 
felt  to  be  rather  hard,  it  was  taken  out,  weighed,  and 
valued. 

The  proper  consistency  of  the  gold  was  about  that 
of  stiff  clay,  and  it  was  divided  into  portions  sufficient 
to  cover  the  article  which  it  was  designed  to  gild.  As 


Fig.  95.     TRAYS  AND  WINE-COOLER 


Fig.  9G.        TABLE   ARTICLES  AND  CANDLESTICKS 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  185 

there  was  no  chemical  affinity  between  the  gold  and  the 
object  to  be  coated,  it  was  necessary  to  use  a  solution 
of  nitrate  of  mercury,  which  was  made  by  using  a 
quart  of  nitric  acid  to  a  tablespoonful  of  mercury.  The 
union  of  these  substances  is  accompanied  by  the  pro- 
duction of  considerable  heat  and  the  formation  of 
nitrous  gas.  When  this  nitrate  of  mercury  was  put 
on  the  copper,  its  surface  at  once  became  an  amalgam, 
and  to  this  surface  the  other  amalgam  of  gold  and 
mercury  closely  adhered  by  means  of  the  molecular 
attraction  of  fluid  metals  to  each  other.  The  mode  of 
applying  the  gold  to  the  interior  surfaces  of  vessels 
was  by  coating  them  with  the  nitrate  and  then  apply- 
ing the  amalgam.  When  this  was  done,  the  vessels, 
with  the  gold  side  up,  were  placed  in  open  pans  and 
set  over  a  coke  fire,  the  heat  causing  the  mercury 
slowly  to  evaporate  and  leave  the  gold  only.  This 
process,  though  a  costly  one,  was  lasting,  as  may  be 
proved  by  many  a  piece  of  plate  still  bearing  its  golden 
interior.  The  modern  way  of  depositing  the  gold  by 
electricity,  while  much  cheaper,  is  far  less  lasting. 

The  last  and  perhaps  the  most  important  improve- 
ment in  the  making  of  Sheffield  plate  was  the  process 
of  soldering  on  solid  silver  edges  and  mounts,  which 
protected  the  parts  most  exposed  to  wear  and  prevented 
the  "  bleeding "  of  the  edges.  This  method  was 
invented  by  Mr.  George  Cadman,  when  in  partnership 
With  Mr.  Samuel  Roberts,  about  the  year  1784. 

At  least  ten  years  before  this,  in  1773,  the  pop- 
ularity of  the  Sheffield  plate  had  led  to  the  opening 
of  an  assay  office  in  Sheffield,  and  the  production  of 


186          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

sterling  ware.  This  was  protected  by  a  system  of 
marks  which  changed  with  every  year. 

The  marks  on  Sheffield  plate  were  usually  the  names 
of  the  makers,  or  their  initials,  accompanied  by  some 
device.  Frequently  the  device  appeared  alone,  and  I 
give  some  of  the  best-known  ones,  hoping  that  you 
will  find  some  of  them  on  those  old  wine-coasters 
which  belonged  to  your  grandfather,  or  on  the  tray 
which  held  the  snuffers  for  those  tall  candlesticks 
which  have  stood  so  long  on  the  parlour  mantel! 

And  now  to  give  some  idea  of  the  prices  at  which 
this  old  ware  changes  hands.  A  pair  of  wine-coolers, 
like  the  one  on  the  left  in  Figure  93,  sold  recently  in 
London  for  £15.  Very  plain  candlesticks  for  bed- 
room use  bring  $7  or  $8  a  pair,  while  ornamental  ones 
are  worth  $25  any  day.  Such  candelabra  as  that 
seen  in  Figure  95 — a  Sheraton  pattern — are  cheap 
at  $50  a  pair,  even  though  it  does  hold  but  two  candles, 
while  those  in  Figures  96  and  98  are  worth  much  more, 
and  are  difficult  to  find  in  America  in  the  old  plate, 
although  the  same  patterns  are  reproduced  in  modern 
plate. 

Old  Sheffield  ware  should  never  be  replated,  and 
articles  which  have  been  are  worthless  to  the  collector, 
since  the  old  process,  which  made  the  article  of  worth, 
has  been  covered  up.  In  this  branch  of  the  antique 
business,  as  in  all  others,  the  counterfeiter  has  been 
at  work.  The  truth  is  that  this  is  a  collecting  age, 
and  the  curio-dealer  is  doing  all  in  his  power  to  make 
it  pass  quickly  by  flooding  the  market  with  spurious 
imitations. 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  187 

These  goods  are  not  like  the  toys  and  other  trifles 
which  are  imported,  and  stamped  "  Made  in  Ger- 
many," but  not  only  are  they  not  stamped  at  all,  but 
they  are  excellent  imitations.  In  this  very  fact  lies 
the  danger  to  the  public,  for  we  may  buy  both  in  Eng- 
land and  this  country  "  old  English  glass,"  made  in 
Holland  and  Germany,  "  Battersea "  enamels  fresh 
from  Paris,  "  Bow  "  and  "  Chelsea  "  figures  which  the 
potteries  in  Germany  are  turning  out  by  the  hundred, 
not  to  mention  all  the  "  antique  furniture  "  made  here, 
there,  and  everywhere,  the  samplers  copied  from  old 
ones,  and  even  "  Sheffield  plate."  In  this  latter  case 
the  design  is  made  in  copper  from  a  good  old  pattern, 
and  then  "  dipped,"  a  few  places  are  rubbed  till  the 
copper  shows  through ;  some  scratches  are  added  by 
means  of  a  sharp  tool ;  and  there  is  the  article,  ready 
for  a  confiding  public.  In  fact  the  manufacturers  in 
Sheffield  are  constantly  importuned  to  "  copy "  old 
plate  for  the  benefit  of  unscrupulous  dealers  who 
would  not  hesitate  to  palm  it  off  as  the  "  real  thing." 

The  making  of  Sheffield  plate  covered  about  a 
century,  from  1742  to  1845,  when  the  process  of 
electro-plating  entirely  crowded  out  the  older  method. 
The'  number  and  variety  of  articles  manufactured  was 
very  great,  and  comprised  cpcrgncs,  urns  for  both  tea 
and  coffee,  teapots,  coffee-pots,  tea-kettles,  lamps, 
candlesticks  and  candelabra,  tankards  and  measures 
of  all  sizes,  mugs,  jugs,  cups,  tumblers,  caudle-cups, 
toast-racks,  cruet- frames,  hot-water  plates,  platters 
and  dishes,  venison-dishes,  dish-rims,  covers,  castors, 
crosses,  trays  and  waiters  of  all  sizes,  bottle-  and 


i88  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

writing-stands,  tureens,  ladles,  spoons,  scallop-shells 
for  serving  fish,  canisters,  tea-caddies,  mustard-pots, 
argyles,  snuffers  and  trays,  wine-funnels,  saltcellars 
of  many  shapes,  bottle-labels,  cream-pails,  bread-, 
cake-,  and  sugar-baskets,  skewers,  spoon-trays,  cream- 
jugs,  lemon-strainers,  cheese-toasters,  stewpans,  sauce- 
pans, chocolate-pots,  snuff-boxes,  bridle-bits,  stirrups, 
spurs,  buttons,  buckles,  knife-  and  fork-handles,  bridle- 
buttons,  saddle-buttons,  and  a  number  of  other 
articles. 

In  Figure  97  is  shown  a  choice  collection  of  tea- 
pots, all  but  two  showing  the  fine  silver  feet,  headings, 
and  mounts  which  were  so  prevalent  in  this  high-class 
work.  Some  of  the  pieces  are  lavishly  engraved,  and 
many  are  fluted,  a  favourite  form  of  design  for  many 
years.  It  is  a  pity  that  there  is  no  way  of  telling  the 
age  of  the  pieces,  for  the  makers  contented  themselves 
with  putting  on  their  names  or  trademarks,  and  left 
to  the  sterling-makers  the  practice  of  putting  on  the 
date  letter. 

It  is  possible  to  get  good  old  plate  in  America. 
Indeed,  I  know  of  some  pieces  which  pass  for  silver. 
One  urn  in  particular  is  in  my  mind  which  the  owners 
calmly  assert  is  silver,  even  though  in  spots  the  copper 
is  smiling  through  at  you !  I  long  ago  gave  up  setting 
people  right  as  to  their  belongings,  and  can  now  regard 
with  interest  a  piece  of  what  I  know  to  be  Stafford- 
shire ware  when  its  owner  assures  me  it  is  "  old  Capo 
di  Monti."  It  is  only  by  special  request  that  it  is  safe 
to  "  name  and  date  antiques,"  and  you  want  to  be  very 
sure  of  your  collector  even  then.  In  Figure  102  are 


Fig.  07.   TEA  AND  COFFEE  POTS 


Fig.  OS.   CANDLESTICKS  AND  COVERS 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  189 

some  nice  old  plated  teapots,  which,  though  unmarked, 
I  believe  to  be  Sheffield,  since  they  have  all  the  proper 
characteristics,  silver  mounts,  silver  headings,  and  are 
plated  on  copper.  They  are  not  so  old  as  the  specimens 
given  in  Figure  97,  for  this  squatty  pattern  was  pop- 
ular after  1800.  The  central  teapot  is  not  to  be  con- 
sidered, as  it  is  silver;  but  all  three  pieces  belong  to 
one  collector,  and  he  had  that  one  put  in  too. 

Several  times  within  late  years  it  has  been  possible 
to  get  fine  old  Sheffield  plate  at  Washington,  where 
English  ambassadors  or  members  of  their  embassy 
have  sold  off  many  of  their .  household  goods  before 
returning  to  England.  I  know  of  two  dishes  that  were 
obtained  in  this  way.  They  have  on  them  a  well- 
known  crest,  and  are  handsome  and  fine  pieces,  similar 
in  pattern  to  the  little  one  on  the  right  in  the  upper 
row  of  Figure  99.  The  handles  of  most  of  these 
dishes  unscrew,  and  the  cover  can  be  used  as  a  dish 
also. 

Figure  99  contains  many  interesting  pieces,  the 
splendid  caudle-cups  on  the  lower  row,  and  the  quaint 
old  egg-stand,  a  pattern  once  seen  on  every  well- 
appointed  breakfast-table,  standing  cheek-by-jowl  with 
the  toast-rack.  The  two  little  saltcellars  standing  on 
the  same  row  with  the  toast-rack  were  favourites  too, 
and  contained  red  or  blue  glass  cups  to  hold  the  salt. 
The  tall  perforated  basket  near  one  of  the  salts  was 
for  sugar,  and  also  had  a  glass  receptacle  in  it.  There 
are  two  mustard-pots  in  the  row  below,  the  one  with 
the  flat  cover  being  a  pattern  which  was  copied  in 
both  pewter  and  Britannia  ware. 


190          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

I  regard  as  the  handsomest  pieces  of  all,  those  shown 
in  Figure  100.  Note  the  exquisite  chasing  on  the  two 
waiters,  as  well  as  the  heavy  moulded  borders,  which 
are  of  silver.  The  two  cake-baskets  speak  for  them- 
selves, and  the  cover,  though  not  very  large,  is  vastly 
more  elegant  than  was  common.  Two  other  cake- 
baskets — very  choice  specimens,  too — may  be  seen  in 
Figure  94,  this  style  of  dish  seeming  to  be  one  on 
which  much  ornament  was  lavished.  It  is  a  pity  such 
pretty  articles  of  table  furniture  are  no  longer  "  the 
thing." 

In  its  best  days  Sheffield  plate  was  by  no  means  con- 
sidered "  second  cut,"  so  to  speak,  for  articles  made 
in  it  were  presented  to  dignitaries  on  great  and  special 
occasions.  Lord  Nelson  had  an  inkstand  of  Sheffield 
plate,  which  consisted  of  an  oval  stand  with  a  perfo- 
rated rim  which  stood  up  all  around,  and  inside  were 
two  round,  plain  bottles,  one  for  ink  and  one  for  sand. 
In  the  centre  was  a  cup  for  wafers,  and  forming  a 
cover  to  it  was  a  bell.  The  admiral  used  this  inkstand 
on  board  the  "  Elephant,"  at  the  battle  of  Copenhagen 
in  1801.  There  is  a  little  story  connected  with  this 
inkstand  which  the  owner  of  it  tells  with  unction. 
Just  before  the  battle  a  Danish  officer  came  aboard 
the  flagship,  to  see  if  the  British  admiral  had  any  pro- 
posals to  make  to  the  king  of  Denmark.  Having 
occasion  to  express  his  errand  in  writing,  he  found 
the  quills  blunt,  and,  holding  one  up,  is  reported  to 
have  said,  "  If  your  guns  are  no  better  pointed  than 
your  pens,  you  will  make  little  impression  on  Copen- 
hagen." Later  in  the  day,  when  the  victory  was 


Fig.  99.   TABLE  UTENSILS  AND  CANDLE-CUPS 


Fig.  100.  CAKE-BASKETS  AND  TRAYS 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  191 

practically  accomplished,  Lord  Nelson  himself  had 
occasion  to  use  the  inkstand  to  dictate  terms  to  his 
opponents,  and  the  story  does  not  say  that  he  found 
any  difficulty  with  the  pens.  The  result  of  this  victory 
was  the  capture  of  six  line-of-battle  ships,  eight  prams, 
all  of  which  were  either  burned  or  sunk,  except  the 
"  Holstein,"  which  was  sent  home  under  the  charge 
of  Captain  James  Clarke,  to  whom  Lord  Nelson  gave 
the  inkstand  as  a  memento  of  the  occasion.  On  it 
is  engraved,  "  Admiral  Lord  Nelson  to  Captain  James 
Clarke,  H.  E.  I.  C.  S."  On  the  handle  of  the  bell  is 
"  Copenhagen,  1801."  On  the  other  side  is  the 
monogram  of  the  admiral,  H.N.  surmounted  by  a 
coronet.  It  is  pleasant  to  know  that  this  trophy  has 
never  passed  out  of  the  hands  of  the  family  of  Captain 
Clarke,  and  that  it  is  now  treasured  by  one  of  his 
descendants.  It  was  not  possible  co  obtain  a  photo- 
graph of  this  inkstand,  which  is  in  England,  and  I 
think  it  must  have  been  made  on  a  special  order,  for 
I  have  never  seen  any  other  like  it  or  resembling  it. 

The  collection  on  which  I  have  drawn  most  heavily 
for  illustrating  Sheffield  plate  is  that  which  belongs 
to  Mr.  Henry  Coopland,  Glossop  Road,  Sheffield, 
England.  He  has  had  unusual  opportunities  for  col- 
lecting specimens,  and  he  began  to  gather  them  before 
they  had  become  as  popular  as  they  are  now.  Only  a 
small  part  of  his  immense  collection  is  shown,  and  it 
is  known  throughout  England  as  the  finest  one  outside 
of  London.  The  Viscountess  Wolseley  is  another 
great  collector,  and  many  of  her  specimens  are  marked, 
as  are  Mr.  Coopland's,  with  the  best-known  names 


i92          OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

of  makers  of  this  ware.  W.  &  G.  Siddons,  whose  firm 
goes  back  to  1784,  is  represented  in  both  collections, 
and  so  are  Fenton,  Creswick,  &  Co.,  and  Holy,  and 
Hoyland.  I  have  often  been  asked  how  it  is  possible 
to  know  Sheffield  plate.  The  copper  body  is  always 
one  of  the  sure  tests,  as  well  as  the  silver  edges  and 
mounts,  and  the  presence  of  the  silver  shield,  which 
often  stands  out  boldly  when  the  rest  of  the  silver 
is  much  worn  off.  You  can  see  it  plainly  in  the  tray 
on  the  left  hand  in  Figure  92,  and  even  when  the  silver 
plating  is  quite  intact  you  can  detect  the  presence  of 
the  shield  by  breathing  upon  the  place  where  the  crest 
or  initials  are  engraved.  The  moisture  will  stand 
longer  on  the  shield  than  on  the  surrounding  surface. 

The  urn  in  Figure  103  is  not  a  common  pattern,  yet 
it  is  Sheffield  ware,  and  what  our  grandmothers  would 
have  called  "  the  best  plate."  The  shield  is  quite 
evident  with  the  lettering  and  a  wreath  of  ornament 
surrounding  it ;  the  beading  and  lions'  heads  are  of 
silver;  and  the  only  places  where  it  "bleeds"  is  on 
the  base.  The  coffee  was  kept  hot  by  the  iron  piece 
inside,  and  the  urn  is  far  handsomer  than  it  looks  in 
the  picture.  This  urn  is  owned  in  New  York  State, 
but  I  know  of  another  in  California,  exactly  like  it, 
with  the  same  ornament  around  the  shield,  but  of 
course  with  different  initials,  which  was  brought  home 
from  England  by  a  sea-captain  to  his  wife,  as  a  present 
after  a  prosperous  voyage.  This  was  early  in  1800, 
and  it  is  now  owned  by  the  grandson  of  the  original 
purchaser. 

None  of  the  really  old  urns  had  lamps  to  keep  the 


Tig.  101.       CANDLESTICKS 


Fls.  102.     TEAPOTS 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  193 

coffee  warm,  and  those  which  have  were  among  the 
latest  pieces  of  this  plate  made. 

The  subject  of  candlesticks  is  one  of  much  interest, 
for  there  are  so  many  patterns  to  be  had,  some  of  them 
of  much  beauty,  like  the  one  in  the  centre  of  Figure 
94,  which  was  also  an  cpcrgnc,  down  to  the  bedroom 
lights,  one  of  which  may  be  seen  in  Figure  101.  The 
one  to  which  I  refer  in  this  picture  is  the  small  one 
standing  on  the  box.  It  is  of  Sheffield  plate  and  was 
bought  within  a  few  months  at  a  sale  of  an  old  Eng- 
lish manor-house.  The  tall  shade  is  an  ample  pro- 
vision against  drafts,  and  the  extinguisher  has  a 
handle  so  long  that  it  can  be  dropped  down  even  if  the 
candle  has  burned  down  quite  into  the  socket.  Even 
though  it  has  no  place  here,  I  should  like  to  mention 
that  the  other  stick  is  one  of  a  pair  got  at  the  same  time 
and  place  as  the  little  one,  and  is  of  solid  mahogany, 
the  shade  being  of  old  English  ground  glass.  Nobody 
knew  how  long  they  had  been  fixtures  in  that  old 
house,  but  the  wood  is  quite  black  and  has  a  superb 
polish.  These  candlesticks  stand  thirty  inches  high. 

The  last  illustration  which  I  show  is  what  is  known 
as  a  venison-dish.  The  cover  rolls  back  under  the 
bottom  when  not  in  use,  and  there  is  a  receptacle  for 
hot  water  in  the  bottom.  There  is  a  perforated  tray 
on  which  the  venison  is  placed,  and  the  whole  thing 
is  a  choice  piece  of  work.  An  ivory  button  in  the 
handle  stands  out  so  that  the  cover  could  be  turned 
over  without  burning  the  fingers.  There  is  a  shield 
which  has  never  been  used. 

This  piece  was  secured  in  America  by  a  collector 


194  OLD    PEWTER,    BRASS,    ETC. 

who  has  the  gift  of  finding  much  that  is  rare  and 
beautiful.  She  can  no  longer  get  her  things  for  that 
11  song  "  which  was  once  so  proverbial,  but  pays  quite 
high  prices,  since  owners  have  a  better  idea  of  the 
value  of  what  they  wish  to  sell.  Besides  having  much 
old  furniture,  pewter,  plate,  and  glass,  she  has  a  col- 
lection of  eighteen  mirrors,  those  delightful  old  things 
with  pictures  painted  in  the  upper  panels.  Some  of 
these  mirrors  are  in  mahogany  frames,  some  in  gilt, 
some  combine  the  two,  but  all  of  them  are  handsome, 
one  or  two  are  elegant,  and  all  are  desirable.  When 
you  point  out  to  her  that  she  has  far  too  many  for  her 
own  good,  she  always  answers  that  when  she  has 
twenty-four  she  is  going  to  stop,  and  that  then  per- 
haps she  will  part  with  some.  She  has  collected  so 
much  that  she  has  got  the  speech,  no  one  ever  "  sells  " 
an  antique ;  they  always  "  part  "  with  it. 

Among  the  small  things  in  good  old  plate  which  are 
not  uncommon  in  America  are  snuff-boxes  and  patch- 
boxes.  I  come  across  them  frequently,  and  they  are 
almost  always  examples  of  choice  work.  There  were 
some  manufacturers  in  Sheffield  who  made  nothing 
but  these  small  articles,  and  as  it  was  so  much  the  mode 
to  take  snuff,  every  one  with  any  pretensions  to  style 
had  to  have  one.  Among  the  advertisements  in  our 
old  papers  I  do  not  find  any  allusions  to  Sheffield 
plate.  The  term  "  plate  "  is  sometimes  used,  but  in 
England  this  refers  to  silver,  not  to  plated  ware,  and 
1  have  taken  it  for  granted  that  the  advertisers  meant 
the  solid  ware,  as  they  were  in  most  cases  merchants 
from  London.  There  is  one  article  which  we  know 


Fig.  103.     COFFEE-URN 


Fig.  104.       VENISON  DISH 


SHEFFIELDPLATE  195 

was  much  esteemed  during  the  times  of  the  Georges, 
when  this  old  plate  was  in  its  prime,  which  I 
do  not  find  mentioned  in  any  list  of  articles  made 
at  Sheffield,  nor  have  I  ever  seen  an  old  one,  though 
modern  examples  are  plenty.  That  is  a  punch-bowl. 
That  there  were  plenty  of  them  is  true,  but  they  seem 
to  have  been  made  of  silver  or  china,  and  there  are 
a  number  of  very  rich  silver  ones  to  be  found  among 
the  old  families  in  America. 

Another  article — small,  this  time, —  is  to  be  found 
very  rarely.  It  is  also  connected  with  the  flowing 
bowl,  and  by  its  means  it  was  possible  for  the  traveller 
at  any  time  to  have  a  cup  of  negus,  or  any  other  of 
those  spiced  drinks  with  which  our  ancestors  were 
wont  to  solace  themselves.  This  small  article  was 
a  nutmeg-holder,  or  spice-box.  It  was  trifling  in  size, 
with  a  lid  the  interior  of  which  was  rough  enough  for 
the  nutmeg  to  be  grated  upon  it.  No  drink  from 
"Bishop's  Sleeves"  to  "  Oxford  night-caps"  but  had 
its  final  touch  added  by  the  spice-box,  and  these  pretty 
trifles  of  Sheffield  or  sterling  silver  were  popular 
enough  with  the  fashionable  blade,  who  regarded  him- 
self as  quite  a  la  mode  when  he  had  his  spice-box  in  one 
pocket  and  his  snuff-box  in  the  other. 

The  spice-box,  the  snuff-box,  and  the  patch-box 
have  long  since  lost  their  usefulness,  but  we  treasure 
them  the  more  for  the  pictures  they  bring  to  the 
mind's  eye  of  those  brave  old  days  under  the  Georges. 


SHEFFIELD   MANUFACTURERS    OF 
CLOSE    PLATE 

FROM   THE    LATTER    PART  OF  THE    EIGHTEENTH 
CENTURY   TO  1845 

ASH  WORTH,  ELLIS  &  Co. 

BANBURY,  THOMAS,  Norfolk  St. 

ELLIOTT,  THOMAS,  Jehu  Lane 

ELLIS,  THOMAS,  Norfolk  St. 

FENTON,  CRESWICK  &  Co.,  Mulberry  St. 

GREAVES,  JOHNABAB,  Snuff-box  Maker 

HANCOCK,  ROWBOTTOM  &  Co. 

HOLY,  DANIEL,  WILKINSON  &  Co.,  Mulberry  St. 

HOYLAND,  JOHN  &  Co.,  Mulberry  St. 

KIRK,  JOSEPH,  Mulberry  St. 

LAW,  THOMAS  &  Co.,  Norfolk  St. 

MARGRAVE,  MARSDEN  &  Co. 

MARSDEN,  WILLIAM 

MARTON,  THOMAS 

ROBERTS,  EYRE,  BELDON  &  Co.,  Union  St. 

ROWBOTTOM,  I.  &  Co. 

TONKS,  WILLIAM 

TUDOR  &  LEADER,  Sycamore  Hill 

WILSON,  JAMES 

WINTER,  PEARSON  &  HALL 


W.  &  G.  SISSONS.     1784.  WALKER,   KNO\VLES  &  Co. 


FENTON,  CRESWICK  &  Co. 


WATSON 
(now  W.   PADLEY  &   SONS) 


*  * 

HENRY  WILKINSON  &  Co.  SOHO  PLATE,   BIRMINGHAM. 


DANIEL  HOLLY  &  Co.  BOULTON,  BIRMINGHAM, 


APPENDIX 


APPENDIX 


The  following  lists  have  been  compiled  from  Masse's  "  Pewter 
Plate  "  ;  Welch's  "  List  of  Freemen  "  ;  Touch-Plates  in  Pewterers' 
Hall ;  Wood's  "  Scottish  Pewter " ;  and  from  many  specimens 
of  ware. 

MARKS  AND  NAMES  FOUND  ON  FOREIGN 
PEWTER 


Brussels 
Gothic     B,     crowned,    in    a 

shield 
St.  Michael  and  the  Dragon 

in  a  beaded  circle 
Six-petalled  rose,  crowned 
G.  Pierre,  Bruxelles,  in  oval 

with  two  stars 
J.  B.  Y.,  with  crowned  rose 

(Eighteenth  century) 

Lille 
Albert  et  Mulie  a  Lille 

Liege 

Angel  in  oval 
Rose  with  L.  L. 

Antwerp 

Arms  with  hand 

Rose  alone  or  crowned 

Joseph  Berton,  1777 

M.  A.  Hagen's  Blok  Zinn 

Germany 
Melchior  Koch 


Nuremberg 

Jorg  Christian,  1550 
Nicholas  Horcheimer,  1570 
Melchior   Horcheimer,   1583 
Paulus  Bohem,  1585 
Sebaldus  Renter,  1611 
Michael  Rossner,  1620 
Lorenz  Appel,  1630 

France 

Paris  marks: 

An  angel  with  "  Paris  "  in 
crown 

Crowned  rose 

Fleur-de-lys 
French  makers  of  pewter : 

Jehan  de  Montrousti,  1400 

Jehan  Lampene,  1484 

Hector   Drouet,    1487 

Jehan  Anot,   1555 

Christofle    Fromont,     1668, 
Pewterer  to  the   King 

Guillaume  Couetteau,   1677 

Geoffroy  et  Helot,  1745 

Renaud  et  Cie,  1760 

Boileau  fils,  1772 

Parain,  1789 


201 


202 


APPENDIX 


LIST  OF  ENGLISH  PEWTERERS 

FROM    1500    TO    1600 


Abraham,  Henry,  1571 
After  ton,  John,   1506 
Alexander,  Paul,   1516 
Anayson,  John,  1523 
Ashlyn,   Lawrence,    1559 
Astlyn,  John,  1514 
Astlyn,  Lawrence,  1504 
Astlyn,  Walter,  1534 

Baker,  William,  1558 
Barker,  John,  1585 
Baxter,  John,  1513 
Bennett,  Ph.,  1542 
Beswick,  Thomas,  1533 
Blackwell,  Thomas,  1547 
Boultinge,   John,    1575 
Burton,  John,   1513 

Cacher,  Edward,   1556 
Gallic,    William,    1510 
Carnadyne,  Alex.,  1595 
Car^-ye,  John,  1543 
Catcher,  John,    1585 
Chamberlayn,  Thos.,  1517 
Chawner,  Robt,  1573 
Chyld,  John.,   1534 
Clark,  Henry,  1555 
Clark,  Thos.,  1543 
Crostwayt,  Rich.,  1541 
Crostwayte,  Nich.,  1557 
Crowe,  Wm.,  1512 
Crowson,  John,  1586 
Curtis,  Thos.,   1538 
Curtis,  Wm.,  1573 
Curtys,  Peter,  1525 
Curtys,  William,   1566 


Draper,  James,  1508 
Droke,  William,  1528 
Dropwell,  Robt.,  1570 

Eastwell,  Abraham,  1591 
Elyot,  Thos.,  1579 
Emmeston,  Wm.,  1591 

Fenn,  George,  1588 
Ferner,  John,   1595 
Flood,  John,   1537 
Foster,  Boniface,   1574 
Foull,  Thos.,  1541 

Gardner,  Allyn,  1578 
Gartwell,  Abraham,  1595 
Gasker,  Percival,   1593 
Goodman,  Philip,  1596 
Greenfell,  George,  1579 

Haroye,  John,  1555 
Harper,  Edward,  1572 
Hawcliff,  Symon,  1568 
Hawke,  Thomas,  1588 
Hawkins,  Stephen,  1543 
Haynes,  William,  1560 
Heythwaite,  Mighell,  1553 
Hustwaite,  Robt,  1571 
Hustwayte,  Wm.,  1548 
Hyll,  Wm.,  1599 
Hylyngworth,   Clement,   1553 

Isade,  Roger,  1569 

Jackson,  John,  1589 
Jann,  Thos.,  1535 


APPENDIX 


203 


Jardeine,  Nicholas,  1573 
Jaxon,  William,  1512 

King,  Richard,  1593 

Langtoft,  Nicholas,  1524 
Langtoft,  Robt,  1519 
Loton,  William,  1567 

Machyn,  Thos.,  1539 
Makyns,  Walter,   1554 
Mannynge,  Rich.,  1574 
Mansworth,  Thos.,  1585 
Mathewe,  John,  1569 
Mears,  William,  1598 
Mills,  Nicholas,  1534 
Mylls,  William,  1564 

Newes,  Robt.,  1578 
Nicholls,  Thos.,  1566 
Nixon,  Robt,  1589 
Nogay,  Thos.,    1580 
Norton,  John,  1583 

Onton,  John,  1513 
Outlawe,  Thos.,  1504 

Pecke,  Nicholas,  1548 
Pecok,  Thos.,  1511 
Pecok,  William,  1510 
Perkyns,  Rich.,  1593 
Ponder,  Simon,  1555 

Redman,  William,  1574 

FROM 

W.  A.,  1663 
W.  A.,  1682 
Abbott,  John,  1693 
Adams,  Henry,  1692 
Adams.,  Nath.,  1692 
Adams,  Robt.,  1667 


Renston,  John,  1527 
Reo,  Edward,  1582 
Rowe,  William,  1507 
Rowlandson,  Stephen,  1563 
Roysdon,  John,  1526 
Royston,  John,  1558 

Scott,  Rich.,   1562 
Sherwyn,  John  (i),  1547 
Sherwyn,  John  (2),  1578 
Steward,  John,  1595 
Stode,  Joseph,  1530 
Straye,  Ralph,  1587 

Taylor,  Richard,  1524 
Taylor,  Robt,  1551 
Thompson,  R.,  1576 
Thurgood,  John,  1503 

Urswyke,  Thos.,  1533 

Waddoce,  Thos.,  1565 
Wargnyer,  Rich.,  1561 
Waryng,  John,  1555 
Whytbe,  Thos.,  1551 
Williamson,    Rich.,    1553 
Willis,  Nich.,  1529 
Wilson,  John,  1502 
Wood,  Robert,  1551 
Wood,  Thos.,  1592 
Wood,  William,  1589 
Wynsley,  John,  1525 

1600    TO    1700 

Adams,  William,  1671 
Alder,  Thos.,  1667 
Allen,  John,  1671 
Allen,  Richard,  1668 
Angell,  Philemon,  1691 
Archer,  William,  1653 


204 


APPENDIX 


Atlee,  W.,  16— 
Austin,  Samuel,  1693 
Austin,  William,  1677 
Aylife,  William,  1667 

D.  B.,  1670 
I.  B.,  1665 
I.  B.,  1699 

Baker,   Samuel,   1678 
Balleson,  Thos.,  1667 
Barrow,  Richard,  1667 
Barton,  Dan.,  1678 
Baskerville,  John,  1695 
Bateman,  John,  1670 
Beard,  Sampson,  1691 
Bearsley,  Job,  1678 
Bennett,  John  (i),  1653 
Bennett,  John  (2),  1679 
Bennett,  William,  1662 
Benton,  Ralph,  1681 
Blackwell,  Daniel,  16— 
Blagrave,  Wm.,  1664 
Blunt,  John,  1681 
Bonkin,  Jonathan,  16 — 
Bowyer,  William,  1642 
Boyden,  Benj.,  16 — 
Bradstead,  H.,  16— 
Braiisford,  Peter,  1667 
Brettell,  James,  16 — 
Brill,  Henry,  16— 
Brocklesby,  Peter  (1),  1629 
Brocklesby,    Peter    (2),    1637 
Brocklesby,  Peter  (3),  1667 
Brooks,  John,  1637 
Brooks,  Rich.,  1667 
Browne,  Martin,  16 — 
Byran,  Edgerton,  16 — 
Bull,  John,  1678 
Bullevant,  Jas.,  1667 
Burt,   Luke,    16— 


Burt,  Thos.,  1630 
Burton,  William,   1685 
Butcher,  Gabriel,  1633 
Butcher,  Robt.,  1639 
Butcher,  Thos.,  1652 
Buxton,  Robt,  1619 
Byrd,  John,  1654 

B.  C,  1651 
C  C,  1672 
G.   C,   1676 
T.  C.,  1663 
W.  C,  1663 
Cambridge,  Job,  1687 
Campion,  John,  1662 
Carter,  Thos.,  1648 
Castle,  John,  16 — 
Chassey,  Jos.,  1650 
Chesslin,  Rich.,  1682 
Chester,  Geo.,  1628 
Childe,  John,  1643 
Claridge,    Benj.,    1672 
Clark,  John,  1667 
Cliffe,  Thomas,  1639 
Clyffe,  John,  1602 
Cock,  Humphrey,  1670 
Cole,  Benj.,  1683 
Cole,  Jeremiah,  1692 
Collier,  Nich.,  1604 
Collyer,  Rich.,  1669 
Cooper,  Benj.,  1684 
Coursey,  John,  1667 
Co  wd well,  John,  1620 
Cowes,  Henry,   1640 
Cowes,  Thomas,  1605 
Cowley,  William,  1695 
Cowyer,  Nicholas,   1607 
Cox,  John,   1679 
Cox,  Richard,  1656 
Cranley,  Charles,  16— 


APPENDIX 


205 


Crookes,  William,  16 — 
Cropp,  William,  1667 
Cross,  William  (i),  1659 
Cross,  William  (2),  1668 

E.  D.,  1672 

F.  D.,   1672 
I.  D.,  1668 
R.  D.,  1677 
W.  D.,  1668 
Davis,  Rich.,  1664 
Dawes,  Rich.,  1652 
Dawkins,  Pollisargiis,  1628 
Dickenson,  Thos.,  1669 
Dimocke,  William,  16 — 
Diston,  Giles,  1667 
Ditch,  William,  1669 
Drinkwater,  Timothy,  1676 
Drury,  John,  1673 
Duffield,  Peter  (i),  1672 
Duffield,  Peter  (2),  1697 
Dunne,  Rich.,  1696 
Dunninge,    Thos.    (*),    1604 
Dunning,  Thos.   (2),  1617 
Durand,  Jonas,  1699 
Duxell,  Rich.,  1616 

Dyer,  Lawrence,  1675 
Dyer,  William,  1667 

B.  E.,  1664 

G.  E.,  1663 
I.  E.,  1686 
Eames,  Rich.,  1697 
Elliot,  Thos.,  1604 

A.  F.,  1646 

H.  F.,  1668 

Fly,  William,  1691 

Fox,  Edward,  1617 

Freeman,  Henry,  1669 


French,  John,  1687 
Fullham,  Andrew,  1614 
Fullham,  John,  1637 

Gavokeford,  1601 
Gilbert,  Edw.,  1662 
Gisborne,  Robert,  1691 
Glover,  Edw.,  1620 
Glover,  Henry,  1620 
Glover,  Richard,   1606 
Glover,  Roger,  1615 
Godfrey,  Stephen,  1679 
Graham,  Basill,  16 — 
Grainger,  William,   1638 
Graunt,  Joseph,   1659 
Graves,  Francis,  1629 
Green,  William,  1684 
Gregg,  Robt,   1683 
Gregg,  Thos.,   1671 
Groome,  Randell,  1624 
Gruwin,  Gabriel,  1693 

I.  H.,  1663 
R.  H.,  1664 
T.  H.,  1676 
Hadley,   Isaac,   1668 
Hale,  Geo.,  1675 
Hamilton,  Alexander,  1646 
Hand,  Samuel,  16 — 
Harding,  Robert,  1668 

Harendon, ,  1664 

Harford,   Henry,   1696 
Hartshorne,  Michael,  1693 
Hatch,   Henry,   16— 
Hatfield,  Wm.,  1627 
Haveland,  Miles,  1664 
Haward,  Thos.  0),  1666 
Haward,  Thos.  (2),  1667 
Hawkes,  Edw.,  1667 
Heath,  Edw.,  1656 


206 


APPENDIX 


Heath,  John,  1618 
Heath,  Richard,  1699 
Henson,  Thomas,  1614 
Hickling,  Thomas,  1698 
Hicks,  Thomas,  1698 
Hill,  Hough,  1625 
Hill,  William,  1672 
Hills,  William,  1636 
Hodges,  Jos.,  1667 
Hodgkis,  Arthur,  1635 
Hollford,  Stepherr,  1668 
Holt,  John,  16— 
Hopkins,  Jos.,  1667 
Howell,  Ralph,  1623 
Hull,  Thos.,   1650 
Hulls,  Ralph,  1682 
Hunton,  Nich.,  1670 
Hurdman,  Wm.,  1622 
Hyatt,  Humphrey,  1681 
Hyll,  Walter,  1601 

E.  I.,  1675 
H.  I.,  1675 
I.  I.,   1666 
R.   L,   1696 
lies,  Rich.,  1697 
Ingles,  John,   1678 
Ingole,   Dan.,    1688 

Jackson,  Sam'l,  1684 
Jackson,  Thos.,  1660 
Jackson,  William,  1668 
Jacobs,  John,  1663 
Jacomb,  Josiah,  1675 
Jarrett,  John,  1656 
Johnson,  John,  1666 
Jones,  James,  1628 
Jones,  Owen,  1647 
Jones,  Robt,   1667 
Jones,  Thos.,  1632 


Jones,  William,  1676 

T.  K.,  1672 
Kelk,  James,  1687 
Kelke,  Nicholas,  1665 
Kent,  William,  1623 
King,  Abraham,  1693 
King,  Thomas,   1687 
Knight,  Francis,  1692 
Knowles,  Tobias,  1664 

I.  L.,  1663 
I.  L.,  1684 

Lackford,  John,  1664 
Langford,  William,   1679 
Langley,  Adam,  1680 
Larkin,  Francis,  1685 
Lawrence,  Stephen,  1684 
Lea,  Francis,  1664 
Leach,  Thomas,   1691 
Leapidge,  Edward,  1699 
Leapidge,  Thomas,  1696 
Leeson,  John,  1680 
Leeson,  Robert,  1648 
Lock,  Robert,  1692 
Long,  Sefton,  1680 
Long   (2),  Sefton,  1692 
Lucas,  Robert,  1667 

A.  M.,  1679 
I.  M.,  1662 
N.  M.,  1640 
W.  M.,  1666 
Mabbes,  Sam'l,  1685 
Major,  John,  1657 
Mann,  John,   1688 
Marsh,  Ralph,  1662 
Marsh  (2),  Ralph,  1679 
Marshall,  Thomas,   16 — 


APPENDIX 


207 


Marten,  Robert,  1674 
Mason,  John,  1695 
Mason,  Richard,  1679 
Mathews,  Peter,  1632 
Mathews,   William,    1689 
Mathews,  William,   1699 
Maundrill,  Richard,  1693 
Mayor,  Anthony,   1668 
Meares,  John,  1657 
Meares,  Ralfe,  1643 
Meggot,  George,   1655 
Mellett,  Rich.,  1660 
Mills,  Nathan,  1668 
Milton,   Wheeler,    1650 
Mitchell,  John,   1619 
Modson,    Richard,    1667 
Molton,  John,  1665 
Momford,  John,  1641 
Moulins,  Robt.,  1676 
Mullins,  R.,    1647 
Munns,  Nathaniel,  1667 

I.  N.,  1678 

Needham,  Thos.,   1665 
Newman,  Michael,  1652 
Newman,  Michael,  Jr.,  1670 
Newman,    Thos.,    1660 
Newnam,  Thos.,   1642 
Newton,  Hugh,  1616 

F.  P.,  1680 

I.  P-,  1693 
P.  P.,  1668 
W.  P.,  1663 
W.  P.,  1698 
Page,  John,  1697 

Paine, ,  1661 

Palmer,  Roger,  1642 
Paltock,  John,  1627 
Parke,  Peter,  1666 


Parker,  Joseph,  1679 
Parrett,    Thomas,    1600 
Pauling,    Henry,    1659 
Paxton,  William,   1696 
Ferris,   Henry,   1678 
Peltiver,  William,   1679 
Philips,  James,  1651 
Piddle,  Joseph,  1685 
Pight,  Henry,  1678 
Platt,  Thomas,  1619 
Porter,  Luke,  1679 
Powell,  Ralph,  1621 
Priest,  Peter,  1667 
Pritchard,  Polydore,  1649 
Procter,  Francis,  1631 
Pycroft,  Walter,  1624 

I.  R.,  1676 
N.  R.,  1679 
O.  R.,  1676 
Rack,  Charles,  1691 
Randall,  Lewis,  1609 
Raper,  Christopher,  1694 
Rawlins,  William,  1668 
Reade,  Simon,  1660 
Redding,   Theodore,   1687 
Redhead,  Anthony,   1695 
Redhead,  Gabriel,   1689 
Relfe,  Edward,  16— 
Renton,  John.   1687 
Reynolds,  Thos.,  1669 
Ricroft,   Walter,    1622 
Ridding,  Theophilus,  1679 
Ridding,  Thomas,    1697 
Roaffe,  George,  1600 
Roberts,  Oliver,  1644 
Roberts,    William,    1618 
Robins,  John,   1638 
Royston,  Ambrose,   1609 
Royston,  ,    1620 


208 


APPENDIX 


Rudd,  Anthony,  1629 
Rudsby,  Andrew,  1692 
Russell,  Thomas,  1611 

I.  S.,  1685 
R.  S.,  1669 
T.  S.,  1663 
Scott,  Benj.,  1656 
Seabright,  Charles,   1685 
Seddon,  Charles,  1669 
Seears,  Roger,  1651 
Seeling.  John,  1656 
Shackle,  Thos.,  1686 
Shath,  Thos.,  1680 
Sheppard,  Robt,   1619 
Sherman,  Richard,  1693 
Shurmes,  Richard,  1641 
Siar,  William,  1640 
Silk,   John,   1658 
Simkin,  James,   1659 
Singleton,  Lewis,  1615 
Skinn,  John,  1679 
Skinner,  John,  1670 
Smackergill,  Wm.,   1610 
Smalpiece,  Rich.,  16 — 
Smite,  George,   1672 
Smith,  George,  1623 
Smith,  John,   1656 
Smith,  Thomas,  1669 
Smith  (2),  Thomas,  1689 
Smithe,  Thomas,   1631 
Smyth,  Geo.,  1660 
Snow,  Samuel,  1681 
Staples,  Richard,  1623 
Stev.enton,  Richard,  1608 
Steward,  John,   1600 
Steward   (2),  John,  1634 
Steward,  John,  1641 
Steward,  Rowland,  1694 
Steward,  Thomas,  1692 


Steward,  Toby,  1630 
Stone,  Howard,  1698 
Stribblehill,  Thos.,  1693 
Sturt,  Walter,  1679 
Sweeting,  Charles,  1658 
Sweeting  (2),  Charles,  1685 
Sweeting,  Henry,  1646 
Sweeting,  John,   1661 

H.  T.,  1680 
I.  T.,  1698 
R.  T.,  1668 

Taylor,  Abraham,  1651 
Taudin,  James,  1679 
Teale,  John,   1690 
Templeman,  Thomas,   1697 
Thorogood,  Nicholas,  1634 
Titterton,  Robert,   1698    • 
Tough,   Charles,    1667 
Tough    (2),   Charles,   1689 
Turner,  Nicholas,  1606 
Turner,  Stephen,  1694 

W.  V.,  1678 
Vernon,  Rich.,  1650 
Vile,  Thomas,  1675 
Vincent,  John,  1685 

A.  W.,  1698 
R.  W.,  1692 
R.  W.,  1677 
W.  W.,  1662 
Walker,  John,  1617 
Webb,  Christopher,  1669 
Webb,    Richard,    1699 
Westcott,   Henry,    1640 
Wetwood,    Katherine,    1633 
Whitaker,   Benj.,    16— 
White,  Joseph,  1658 


APPENDIX 


209 


Wiggin,   Henry,   1690 
Willett,  Richard,  1666 
Winchcombe,  Thomas.   1697 
Withebed,  Richard,   1678 
Withers,  William,  1667 


Witter,  Samuel,  1682 
Wood,  John,  1612 
Woodford,  John,  1669 
Woodward,  Robert,  1699 
Wycherley,  Thos.,  1626 


FROM    1700    TO    1800 


Abbott,  Thomas,  1792 
Ackland,  Thomas,  1728 
Alderson,  John,  1771 
Alderwick,  Richard,  17 — 
Allanson,  Edward,  1702 
Allen,  James,  1740 
Ames,  Thomas,  17 — • 
Appleton,    Henry,    1751 
Appleton,  John,  1779 
Altergood,  Thomas,  1700 
Atwood,  William,   1736 


Babb,  Bernard,  17 — 
Bache,  Richard,   17 — 
Bacon,  George,  1746 
Bacon,  Thomas,   17 — 
Bailey,  John,  1789 
Bampton,  William,  1785 
Barber,  Nathan,   1782 
Barker,  Joseph,  1797 
Barker,  Samuel,  1786 
Barlow,  John,  17 — 
Barnes,  Thomas,   1738 
Barren,  Robt.,   1786 
Basnet,  Nathaniel,  1777 
Bathhurst,  John,   1715 
Bearsley,  Allinson,   1711 
Bearsley,  Job,  1711 
Beaumont,  W.,   17 — 
Beckett,  Thos.,  1715 
Beckon,  Thos.,  17— 


Beeston,  Geo.,   1756 
Belson,  John,  1748 
Bemsley,  Edward,  1749 
Bennett  &  Chapman,  17 — 
Bennett,  Thomas,  17 — 
Benson,  John,   1740 
Bishop,  James,   17 — 
Blake,  John,   1783 
Bland,  John,   1734 
Blenman,  John,  17 — 
Boardman,  Thomas,  1746 
Boos,  Samuel,  1715 
Boost,  James,  1758 
Borman,  Robt.,  1701 
Boteter,  John,   1748 
Bourchier,  Cleeve,  1736 
Bowley,  Henry,  17 — 
Box,  Edward,  1745 
Bradstreet,  Richard,  17— 
Brick  &  Villars,   1747 
Bromfield,  John,    17 — 
Brown,   Richard,    1731 
Brown  &  Swanson,  17 — 
Broxup,  Rich.,   1793 
Buckby,  Thomas,  1716 
Budden,  David,   17— 
Bullock,  James,   1752 
Bullock    (2),  James,    1758 
Burford,  Thos.,  1779 
Burford  &  Green,  17 — 
Burges,  Thos.,   17 — • 
Buttery,  Thos.,  17— 


210 


APPENDIX 


I.  C,  1723 
Caney,  Jos.,  1748 
Carpenter,  Henry,  1786 
Carpenter,  John,  1739 
Carpenter  &  Hamberers,  17 — 
Carter,  Sam'l,  1794 
Cartwright,  Thos.,  1745 
Cator,  John,   1752 
Chamberlain,  Thos.,   1765 
Charlesby,   Wm.,    1764 
Chawner,   Wm.,    1761 
Child,  Lawrence,  1702 
Clack,  Richard,  1754 
Claridge,  Charles,   1758 
Claridge,  Joseph,   1739 
Clark,  John,   1788 
Clark,  Thomas,  1711 
Clarke,  Samuel,  1732 
Clarke,  William,   1750 
Clarke  &  Greening,  17— 
Cleeve,  Alex.,  1719 
Cleve,  Edward,  1743 
Clements,   John,    1782 
Cole,  Richard,   17 — 
Collett,  Thos.,  1737 
Collier,   Richard,   1737 
Collins,  Sam'l,  1768 
Cooch,  Wm.,  1782 
Cook,  Wm.,   1707 
Cooke  &  Freeman,  17 — 
Cooke,  Edw.,  1701 
Cotton,  Jonathan,  1750 
Cotton    (2),  Jonathan,   1759 
Cotton,  Thomas,   1778 
Cowley,  John,  1736 
Cowley,  Wm.,  1734 
Cowling,  Wm.,  17 — 
Cox,  Wm.,  17— 
Cripps,  Mark,  1762 
Crossfield,  Robt,  1707 


Cud  ley,  Robt.,  17 — 
Curd,  Thos.,  1756 

T.  D.,  1732 
Darling,  Thos.,  1758 
Davis,  John,   1747 
Deane,  Robert,  17— 
De  Jersey,  Wm.,  1773 
Digges,  Wm.,  17— 
Dodson,  Thomas,  1775 
Donne,  John,  1727 
Donne,  Joseph,  1740 
Dove,  John,   1713 
Drinkwater,  Richard,   17— 
Durand,  Jonas,    1726 
Durand    (2),   Jonas,    1763 
Dyer,   John,    1703 
Dyer,  Lawrence,  1726 

I.  K,  1714 
Eden,  William,  1737 
Edwards,  John,  17 — 
Egan,  Andrew,  1783 
Elderton,  John,  1731 
Ellicott,  Earth,  17— 
Elliot,  —     — ,  1746 
Ellis,  John,  1770 
Ellis,  Samuel,  1748 
Ellis,  William,   17— 
Ellwood,  Wm.,  1733 
Elwick,  Henry,  17 — 
Ernes,  John,  1700 
Emmerton,  Thos.,  1736 
Engley,  Arthur,  17 — 
Evat,  Thos.,   1797 
Ewsters,  Thomas,  1753 

Farmer,  John,   1736 
Farson,  John,  1745 
Fasson,   John,    1762 


APPENDIX 


211 


Fasson,  Wm.,  1787 
Field,  Edward,   1771 
Fieldar,   Henry,    17 — 
Fletcher,    Richard,    1701 
Floyd,  John,  1787 
Fly,  Timothy,  1739 
Fly  &  Thompson,  1740 
Fontain,    James,    1786 
Ford,  Abram,  1719 
Ford,  John,  1772 
Foster,  John,   17 — 
Franklyn,  Richard,  1730 
Frith,  Thomas,  17 — 
Fryer,  John,   1710 

I.  G.,  1765 
Gale,  Rich.,  17— 
Giffin,  Thomas,  1766 
Giles,  Wm.,  1769 
Gillam,   Everard,   17 — 
Glover  &  Annison,  17 — 
Goater,  Thos.,  1758 
Gooch,  William,  17 — 
Grant,  Edward,  1741 
Green,  Jas.,  1778 
Green,  Wm.,  1737 
Greenwood,  Thos.,  17 — 
Grendon,  Daniel,  1700 
Grigg,  Sam'l,  17 — 
Groce,  Thos.,   17 — 
Groves,  Edmund,  1773 
Grunwin,   Rich.,    1729 
Gwilt,   1709 
Gwyn,   Bacon,    1709 

H.  H.,  1709 
W.  H.,  1709 
Hagshaw,   Rich.,    17 — 
Hammerton,    Henry,    1733 


Hamond,  Geo.,  1709 
Hancock,  Samuel,  1714 
Handy,   Wm.,    1746 
Harris,  Jabez,  1734 
Harrison,  Wm.,   17 — • 
Hasselborne,   Jacob,    1722 
Hawkins,  Thomas,   17 — • 
Hayton,   John,    17 — 
Healy,   William,    17— 
Heath,  John,  1720 
Herne,  Daniel,  1767 
Highmore,  Wm.,   1742 
Higley,   Samuel,    17 — 
Hinde,  John,  1796 
Hislopp,  Rich.,  17 — 
Hitchins,  John,  1786 
Hitchman,  James,   1716 
Hitchman  (2),  James,  1761 
Hoare,  Thos.,  1728 
Hoi  ley,  John,  1706 
Holman,  Ary,  1790 
Holmes,  George,  1746 
Home,   John,    1771 
Hone,  Wm.,   1713 
Hosier,  Joseph,  1700 
Howard,  Wm.,  1702 
Hubbard,  Robt,  1717 
Hudson,  John,   17— 
Hulls,  John,  1709 
Hulls,  Wm,   1744 
Hume,  Geo.,  17 — 
Hutchins,  Wm,  1732 
Hux,  Thomas,  1739 
Hux,  William,  1728 

F.  I,  1713 
I.  I,  1700 
lies,  John,  1709 
lies,  Nath,  1719 
lies,  Robt,  1735 


212 


APPENDIX 


Jackman,  Nicholas,   1735 
Jackson,  John,  1712 
Jackson    (2),  John,  1731 
James,  Anthony,  1713 
Jeffreys,  Joseph,  17 — 
Jeffreys,  Sam'l,  1739 
Jenner,  A.,  1700 
Jennings,  Theodore,   1741 
Johnson,  Luke,  1723 
Johnson  &  Chamberlain,  17- 
Jones,  Clayton,  1746 
Jones,  John,   1750 
Jones,   Seth,    17 — 
Joseph,  Henry,   1771 
Jupe,  John,  1761 
Jupe,  Robt,  1737 

T.  K.,  1709 
Kendrick,  John,  1754 
Kent,  John,   1749 
Kenton,  John,    1711 
King,  Joseph,  1709 
King,  Richard,   1746 
King   (2;,  Richard,  1796 
King,    Robt,    1711 
King,  W.  H.,  1786 

Laffar,  John,  1720 
Lamb,  Joseph,  1738 
Langford,   John,    1757 
Langley,  John,   17 — 
Law,   Sam'l,    1700 
Lawrence,  Edw.,  17 — 
Lawrence,  John,    1723 
Lawson,  Daniel,  17 — 
Leach,  Jonathan,   17 — 
Leach,  Thomas,  1747 
Leapidge,  Edw.,  1724 
Leapidge,  1  hos.,  1763 
Leggatt,  James,  1755 


Leggatt,  R.,  1746 
Lindsay,  J.,  17 — 
Little,  Henry,  1755 
Loader,  Chas.,  17— 
Lockwood,  E'dw.,  1790 
Long,  William,  1707 

N.  M.,  1782 
Mart,  John,  17— 
Masham,  Hugh,  1713 
Massam,  Robt.,  1740 
Mathews,   Edw.,    1728 
Mathews,  James,  1746 
Mathews,  Philip,  1743 
Mathews,  Wm.,  1741 
Maxey,  Chas.,  1752 
Maxted,  Henry,  17 — 
Meadows,   Wm.,    17 — 
Meakin,  Nath.,  1768 
Merefield,  Ed.,  17— 
Middleton,  Leon,  1752 
Miles,  Wm.,   17 — 
Millin,  Wm.,  1786 
Mitchell,  John,   1755 
Morse,  Robt,  1709 
Moulins,  Robt.,  1704 
Moxon,    Samuel,    1799 
Mudge,  Walter,  1793 
Munday,  Trios. ,   1767 
Munden,  Wm.,  1771 
Murray,  Wm.,   17— 

Nash,  Edw.,   1738 
Newham,  John,  1731 
Newham,   Wm.,    1727 
Nettlefold,  Wm.,  1799 
Newman,    Rich.,    1753 
Nicholls,  Thomas,  1786 
Nicholson,  Jas.,   1730 
Nicholson,  Robt,  1725 


APPENDIX 


213 


Norfolk,  Jos.,  1764 
Norfolk,  Rich.,  1776 
North,  George,  1703 

O'Neal,  Richard,  1728 
Osborne,  John,  1715 
Oudley,  Robt,  1725 

H.  P.,  1707 
T.  P.,  1700 

Padden,  Thomas,  1705 
Pandal,  John,   17— 
Parker,  Dan,  1710 
Parr,  Robt.,  1767 
Partridge,  Richard,  17— 
Patience,  Robt,  1772 
Pattison,   Simon,   1733 
Pawson,    Richard,    17 — 
Peacock,  Samuel,  1785 
Peacock,  Thomas,   1783 
Peake,  Richard,  1700 
Peircy,  Robert,  1760 
Peisley,  George,   1719 
Peisley,  Thomas,  17 — • 
Pender,   Charles,   17— 
Perchard,  Hellier,  1745 
Perchard,  Sam'l,  1752 
Perry,  John,  1773 
Peter,  John,   1714 
Phillips,    Wm.,    1783 
Phipps,  Wm.,  17 — 
Pidgwin,  John,  1785 
Piggott,   Francis,   1770 
Piggott,   John,    1738 
Piggott,  Thomas,  1725 
Pilkington,   Robt.,   1709 
Pitt,  Richard,   1781 
Pitt  &  Dadley,  1780 
Pitt  &  Floyd,   178- 
Pole,  Robt.,   1748 


Poole,  Richard,  1746 
Porteous,  Robt.,  1790 
Porteous,  Thos.,  1765 
Powell,  Thos.,  1706 
Pratt,  Joseph,   1720 
Price,  John,  1781 
Priddle,    Samuel,   1798 
Prince,  John,  17 — 
Ptileston,  James,  17 — 
Pullen,  Sam'l,  1714 

Quick,  Edward,  1756 
Quick    (2),   Edward,   1772 
Quick,  Hugh,  1708 

J.  E.  R.,  178- 
Raindell,  Charles,  17— 
Randall,  Edward,  1711 
Read,  Isaac,   17 — 
Redknap,  Peter,  1720 
Reynolds,   Robt.,   1767 
Rhodes,  Thos.,  1746 
Richards,  Timothy,   17— 
Ridding,  Joseph,   1735 
Ridgley,  Wm.,  1731 
Righton,  Samuel,  1737 
Roberts,  Philip,  1753 
Robins,  James,  1725 
Rogers,  Phillip,  17 — 
Rolt,  John,  17 — 
Rooke,  Richard,  1777 
Rose,  Samuel,  1701 
Rowles,  Thomas,  1732 
Rudsey,  Andrew,  17 — 

I.  S.,  1703 
I.  S.,  1726 
W.  S.,  1706 
Sandys,  Wm.,  1703 
Savage,  John,  1741 


214 


APPENDIX 


Savage    (2),  John,    1758 
Scarlet,  Thos.,   1765 
Scatchard,  Robert,  1761 
Scattergood,  Thos.,  1733 
Seabroke,  Robert,  1/94 
Seawell,  Edward,  1797 
Sellon,  John,  17— 
Sewdley,  Henry,  1738 
Shackle,  Thos.,  1701 
Sharrock,    Edmund,    1742 
Sharwood,  James,  1776 
Shaw,  James,   1796 
Sheppard,  Thos.,   17 — 
Sherwin,   Joseph,    17 — 
Shorey,  Earth,  1747 
Shorey,  John,  1711 
Shorey  (2),  John,  1720 
Sidby,  Edw.,  17— 
Silk,  John,  1700 
Skynmer,  Robert,  17 — 
Slaughter,  Richard,  1742 
Smalley,  Sam'l,  1701 
Smallman,  Arthur,   17 — 
Smith,  Anthony,  1702 
Smith,  Charles,  1789 
Smith,  Geo.,  1795 
Smith,  John,  1709 
Smith,  Joseph,   1706 
Smith,  Richard,  1705 
Smith,  Sam'l,  1753 
Smith,  William,  1799 
Smith  &  Leapidge,  1750 
Snape,  William,  17 — 
Spackman,  Jas.,  1742 
Spackman,  Joseph,  1761 
Spackman  &  Co.,  1765 
Spackman  &  Grant,  176— 
Sparrow,   Francis,   1746 
Spateman,  Sam'l,  1750 
Spooner,  Rich.,  1749 


Spring,  Penry,  17 — 
Spring,  Thomas,  1720 
Stafford,  Geo.,  1740 
Stanley,  Francis,   1722 
Starkey,  Joseph,  1748 
Steevens,  James,  1754 
Stevens,  James,  1774 
Stevens,  Philip,  1716 
Stevens,  Thos.,    1732 
Stevens,  William,  1710 
Stiles,  John,  1730 
Stout,  Alex.,  17 — 
Strong,  Francis,  1746 
Sturton,  Anthony,  1702 
Summers,  John,  1747 
Swanson,  Thomas,    1777 
Sweeting,  Chas.,  1717 

Taylor,  Geo.,  1783 
Taylor,  Sam'l,  1748 
Taylor,  Thos.,  1704 
Thomas,  Walter,  1756 
Thompson,  Thos.,  17 — 
Thompson,  William,  1738 
Tidmarsh,    James,    1750 
Tidmarsh,  Thos.,  1721 
Tilyard,  John,  1752 
Tisoe,  James,   1764 
Tisoe,  John,  1774 
Toms,  Edward,  1783 
Tonkin,   Mathew,   1749 
Townsend,  John,   1748 
Townsend  &  Compton,  1750 
Trahern,  Edw.,  1712 
Tribblewell,  Thos.,  17— 
Tumberville,  Dawbeny,  1714 

Ubly,  Edward,  1727 
Ubly,   Thos.,    1751 
Underwood,  Mathew,  1752 


APPENDIX  215 

G.  V.,  1712  Wilks,  Rich.,  17— 

Vaughn,  John,   1792  Willey,  Mary,  17 — 

Williams,  John,  17 — • 

I.  W.,  1715  Wingood,  John,  1766 

W.  W.,  1721  Wingood,  Joseph,  1767 

Walmsley,  John,  1712  Winter,  George,   17 — 

Warkman,  Rich.,   1727  Withers,  Benj.,  1730 

Watson,  Joseph,    17 —  Wood,  Henry,  1786 

Watterer,  Thos.,   1709  Wood,  Robt,   1701 

Watts,  John,    1760  Wood,  Wm.,  1744 

Watts   (2)   John,  1780  Wood  &  Hill,  17— 

Webb,  Joseph,  1726  Wood  &  Mitchell,   17 — 

Webb,  Thomas,  17—  Woodeson,  John,  17— 

Welford,  James,  1754  Wright,  John,  1743 

Welford,  John,  1788  .  Wright,   Joseph,    17— 

Westwood,  Joseph,  1706  Wright,  Wm.,  1772 

Wheeler,  Thos.,   17 —  Wynn,  John,  1763 
White,  Rich.,  1729 

White  &  Bernard,  17 —  Yates,  Lawrence,  1757 

White,  Wm.,  1743  Yates,  Rich.,  1783 

Whittle,  Francis,  1731  Yewen,  John,  17— 

Wiggins,  Abram,  17—  Yorke,  Edw.,  1772 

FROM    1800    TO    1847 

Alderson,  Geo.,  1817  Cocks,  Sam'l,  1819 

Arden,  John,  1821  Collins,  Dan'l,  1805 

Ashley,  James,  1824  Collins  (2),  Dan'l,  1812 

Ashley,  T.  J.  T.,  1824  Collins,  Jas.,  1811 

Compton,  Thos.,  1807 

Bache,  Richard,  1804  Cooper,  Geo.,   1819 

Bagshaw,  Richard,  1809  Cooper,  Rich,  1818 

Bagshaw,  Thomas,  1810  Cooper,  Thos.,  1838 
Barnett,  Robt,  1815 

Basnett,  John,    1821  Dackombe,  Aquila,  1818 

Bathhurst,  John,  1800  Dadley,  Edwd,   1804 
Blake,  John,   1832 

Bowring,  Cha,,  1820  Fasson,  Benj.,  1815 

Hurt,  Andrew,  1802  -Tn     ^  ^ 

Field,  Dan'l  S,  1830 

Carter,  Jos,   1812  Fisher,  Paul,  18— 


216 


APPENDIX 


Gibbs,  Wm., 
Godfrey,  Jos.  Hen.,  18— 
Grainge,  John,   1816 
Grattan,  Joseph,  1839 
Groome,  Wm.,  18 — • 

Hall,  John,  1810 
Hall    (2),  John,    1823 
Hinde,   John,    1800 
Hodge,  Robt.  P.,  1802 
Hudson,  John,   1804 
Hurst,  Richard,  1826 

Jackson,  R.,  1801 
Joseph,  Rich.,  1805 

Mister,  Rich.,  1827 
Morning,   Randall,    1821 
Moser,  Roger,  1806 
Mourgue,  Fulcrand,   1807 
Mullens,  John,  1805 

Palmer,  Ebenezer,  1818 
Palmer,  Rich.,  1822 
Parker,  Wm.,  1809 


Perry,  John,  1808 
Phillips,  John,  1815 
Phillips,  Thos.,  1817 
Pierce,  Jas.  H.,  1825 
Potter,  George,   1831 

Reeve,  John,  1818 
Reeve,  Joseph,  1807 
Reeve,  Wm.,  1833 
Robinson,  G.,  1808 
Robinson  (2),  G.,  1818 
Ruffin,  Thomas,  1808 

Sansbry,  Wm.,  1810 
Smith,  Isaac,  1813 
Stanton,  Robt,  1818 
Staples,  Henry,  1817 

Taylor,  Ebenezer,  1847 
Toulmin,  Geo.,  1805 
Tovey,  Wm.,  1801 

Towers,  ,  1807 

Towers, ,  1809 

Weaver,  Wm.,  1801 


SCOTTISH    PEWTERERS 

FROM    1600    TO    1700 


Abernethie,  Wm.,  1649 
Andersone,  Robt,  1697 

Borthwick,  Andrew,  1620 
Bowal,  Robt,  1621 
Bryce,  Jas.,  1654 
Burnbell,   Robt,    1633 
Burns,  Robt.,  1694 

Christie,  Wm.,  1652 


Cortyne,  Thos.,  1630 
Coutie,  Wm.,  1619 

Edgar,  Thos.,  1654 
Edgar,  Robt.,  1684 
Gledstane,  Geo.    (i),   1610 
Gledstane,  Geo.   (2),  1634 
Gowat,  Robt,  1621 
Graham,   Alexr.,    1654 
Guld,  John,  1677 


APPENDIX  217 

Hamiltone,  Wm.,  1630  Napier,  John,  1666 

Harvie,  John,   1643 

Harvie,  Jas.,  1654 

Harvie,  Wm.  (i),  1672  Ramsay,  John,  1659 

Hernie,  Jas.,  1651 

Herrin,  Jas.,  1686  Scott,  John,   1621 

Herrin,  Jas.,  1692  Sibbald,  Alex.,  1613 

Herrin,  John,  1686  Sibbald,  Jas.,  1631 

Hunter,  Alex.,   1682  Simpsone,  Robt,  1631 

Somervell,  Jas.,   1616 
Syde,  John,  1680 

Inghs,  Robt,  1663  Symountson,  Jas,  1696 

Inglis,  Thos.  C1),  1621 

Inglis,  Thos.  (2),  1647  Thompsone,  Gilbert,  1669 

Inglis,  Thos.  (3),  1686 

Walker,  Jas,  1643 

Walker,  Patrick,  1607 
Lyndsay,  Alex.,  1648  Walker   (2),  Patrick,  1637 

Walker,  Robt,   1676 

Moir,  Wm,  1675  Watson,  John,   1671 

Monteith,  Jas.  (i),  1634  Weir,   Robt,    1646 

Monteith,  Jas.    (2),  1643  Weir,  Thos,  1631 

Munro,  Andr,   1677  Whyte,  Geo,  1676 


FROM    1700    TO    1800 

Affleck,  Jas,  1741  Coultard,  Alex.,  1708 

Affleck,  Robt,  1741  Coulter,  Wm,  1751 

Andersone,  Adam,  1747  Cowper,  Jas,  1704 

Cunninghame,  Wm,  1740 

Cuthbert,  John,   1712 
Ballantme,   John,    1755 

Brown,  John,  1761  D  Q 

Bruce,  John,   1749 


.  I709  Edgar,  Jas.,  1709 

Bunkell,  Ed.,  1720  Erskinej  A,ex  ^ 


Chalmer,  Roedrick,  1750  Finlay,  Robt,  17  — 

Clarkson,  James,  1717  Fleming,  Wm,  17  — 

Clerk,  Jas,  1721  Folly,  John,   1714 

Cockburn,  Thos,  1711  Fraser,  Simon,  1740 


218 


APPENDIX 


Gardiner,  ,  1764 

Gibson, ,  1719 

Gourlay,  David,  1800 
Grier,  John,  1701 

Harvie,  Wm.,  1706 
Herdrig,  Thomas,  1741 
Hunter,  William,  1749 

Kello,  Robt,  1715 
Kinbrick,  John,  17 — 
Kininburgh,  Robt,  1794 
Kinnear,  Alex.,  1750 

Letham,  John,  1718 
Lockhart,  James,  1792 

Mitchell,  Hugh,  1720 
Mitchell,  Thos.,  1705 
Monteith,  James,  1767 

Nail,  Thos.,  1792 
Napier,  John,   1700 


Paterson,    Walter,    1710 
Peddie,  Andrew,  1766 
Prentice,  Robt,  1781 

Rait,  John,  1718 
Reid,  Robt,  1718 

Scott,  Wm.,  1794 
Simpson,  Thomas,  1728 
Stewart,  Thomas,  1781 

Tait,  Adam,  1747 
Tait,  John,   1700 
Tait  (2),  John,  1747 
Tennent,  Geo.,   1706 

Waddel,  Alex.,  1714 
Weir,  John,  1701 
Wilsone,  John,  1732 
Wright,  Alex.,  1732 
Wright,  James,  1780 


SOME    AMERICAN    PEWTERERS 

Richard  Graves,  1639,  Boston,  Mass. 

Henry  Shrimpton,  1660,  Boston,  Mass. 

James  Leddel,   1744,  Sign  of  the  Platter,  New  York 

Robert  Boyle,  1755,   Sign  of  the  Dish,  New  York 

Francis  Bassett,  1786-1799,  Queen  and  Pearl  Sts.,  New  York 

William  Kirkby,  1786-1792,  Great  Dock  and  Old  Slip,  New  York 

Henry  Will,  1786,  Water  St.,  New  York 

Thomas  Badger,  1789,  Prince  St.,  Boston 

Thomas  Green,  1789,  Dock  Square,  Boston 

Joseph  Roby,  1789,  Three  doors  of  Drawbridge,  Boston 

Frederick  Bassett,  1792-1798,  Pearl  St.,  New  York 

George  Coldwell,  1792-1808,  Gold  St.,  New  York 

William  Elsworth,  1792,  Courtlandt  St.,  New  York 


APPENDIX  2,19 

Robert  Pearse,  1792,  Chatham  St.,  New  York 

Richard  Austen,   1796,  Marlboro   St.,  Boston 

John  Skinner,  1796,  Newbury  St.,  Boston 

John  Welch,  1796,  Union  St.,  Boston 

Malcom  M'Ewen  &  Son,  1794,  Beekman  Slip,  New  York 

Michel  Andre,  1796,  255  Broadway,  New  York 

George  Youle,  1798-1821,  Water  St.,  New  York 

Philip,  Fields,  1799,  Bowery  Lane,  New  York 

Moses  Lafetra,  1812-1816,  Beekman  St.,  New  York 

Anthony  Allaire,  1815-1821,  Hester  St.,  New  York 

Lafetra  &  Allaire,  1816,  Water  St.,  New  York 

Thomas  Youle,  1816,  Water  St.,  New  York 

James  Bird,  1820,  Harman  St.,  New  York 

Widow  Youle  (of  Thomas),  1821,  Water  St.,  New  York 

Boardman  &  Co.,  1824,  Water  St.,  New  York 

Boardman  &  Hart,  1828-1841,  Water  St.,  New  York 

(Later  they  moved  to  6  Burling  Slip,  and  made  block  tin  and 

Britannia  ware.) 

Thomas  Wildes,  1832-1840,  Hester  and  Second  Sts.,  New  York 
George  Richardson,  1825,  Oliver  Place,  Boston 
Homans  &  Co.,  Cincinnati,  O. 
Padelford  &  Palenthorpe,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


INDEX 


INDEX 

PAGES 

Alms-dish         .......       138 

America  .        24,  52,  53,  93,  121,  137,  159,  164,  169,  188,  194 

Andirons  .......       130 

"Annual  Register"     .  .  .  .  .  .181 

Antimony          .  .  .  .  „  .  .    5,  12 

Apprentices      .  .  .  .  .  .  .  56,  57 

Badges  .......        92 

Basins  .......         99 

Bassett,   Francis         .  ...  .  .  .112 

"  Bawles "...  ...        84 

Beakers  .  .  .  .  .  .        58,  62, 63 

Bells     .  .  .  149,  150,  151,  152,  153 

Bcnitier  .......        26 

Betty  lamp       .  .  .  .  .  .     78,  137,  138 

Beverley,   Robert         ......        75 

Birmingham     .  .  .  .  121,  124,  180,  181,  182 

"Black  Horse"  Tavern          ....  104,  105 

"Bleeding"      .......       183 

Bleeding-dishes  ......        68 

Boardman  &  Co.         .  .  .  .  .  in 

Bolsover,    Thomas      .....  174,  178 

Boston  .......        76 

Bowdoin  College         ......       166 

Boyle,  Robert  .  .  .  .  .  .112 

Bradford,    Gov.  .....       96-99,  137 

Bradford,  William      .  .  .  .  .  .112 

Brasenose  College       .  .  .  .  .  .125 

Brass    .  .        5,  32,  36,  37,  48,  78,  82,  117-157 

Brass  boxes      .......       146 

Brass-founders  .  .  .  .  .  129,  130 

Brateau,  Jules  ......          9 

Braziers  .  .  .  .        128,129,131,132 

223 


224  INDEX 

PAGES 

Briot,  Francois  .             .             .             .             .             •          9 

Bristol               .  .             .            .             .             .             52,  121 

Britannia  ware  .....            in,  189 

Broadbent,  Joseph  ......       174 

Brown  &  Englefield  .             .             .             .             .                    113 

Buckles  .....        179,  180,  181,  182 

Buttons             .  .             .            .             .             .            124,  179 

Cadman,   George         .  .  .  .  .  .185 

Camphine          .......       135 

Candelabra       .  .  .  .  .  .  .142 

Candle-moulds  .  .  .  .  .  76,  77 

Candles  .......  75~77 

Candlesticks     .         70-75,  82,  131,  133-137,  139,  141,  164,  186,  193 
Candle-wood     .......       133 

Carriages          .......          8 

"Cast  brass"  .  .  .  .  .  .123 

Catacombs        .......         16 

Censer  .  .  .  .  .  .  158,  159 

Chafing-dish  .  .  .  .  .  164,  165 

Chandeliers      .......       144 

Charleston      .  .  .  .  .  .   144,  152,  153 

Chastellux,  Marquis  de          .....       127 

China  .  .  .  .  .  .  4,  5,  134,  159 

"  Church  plate  of  Dorset "     .  .  .  .  .87 

"Church  plate  of  Leicestershire"     .  .  .  .87 

Cleaning  pewter  .  .  .  .  .  95,  114 

"Close  plate"  .  .  .  .  .  .179 

"Collector's  Manual"  .  .  .  .  .       110 

Communion  services  .  .  .  .  .  87,  89,  93-95 

Communion  tokens     .  .  .  .  .  .  92,  93 

Composition  of  pewter  .  .  .  .          6,  32,  33 

Coopland,  Henry        .  .  .  .  .  .191 

Copper  .      7,  123,  150,  151,  157-172,  174-176 

Cox,  Joseph     .......       144 

Cripps,   Mr.     .......        64 

"Crooked  Lane  Men" 53 

"Cymaise"       .  .  .  .  .  .  .  18,  19 

Damascus         .......       138 

"Description  of  England"     .  .  .  .  .32,58 


INDEX  225 

PAGES 

Diaz,  Bernal  .  .  .  .  .  .159,  160 

Dixon  &  Sons  .  .  .  .  .  .  85, 86 

Drinking-vessels  .....        58-69,  104 

Dutch  brass      .......       119 

Dutch  copper  .......       159 

Dutch  pewter  .......       159 

Ear  dishes       .  .  .  .  .  .68 

Early  use  of  pewter     .  .  .  .  .  .3; 

"Early  Western  Travels"     ....  78,129 

Earthenware    .  .  .  .  .  .  .61 

Ecclesiastical  pewter  8,  10,  13,  14,  22,  26,  32,  33,  45,  86,  87,  92-94 

Edward   1 58 

Edward  IV.      .  .  .  .  .  42 

Emerson,   James         .  .  .  .  .  .123 

Emerson,    William      .  .  .  .  .  .70 

Enderlein,  Caspar       ......         10 

Ewers  and  basins        .....  109-111 

False  wares      .......        50 

Fane,   Sir  S.  P.  .  .  .  .  .       181 

Fenders  .  .  .  .  .  .  .143 

Fenton,  Creswick  &  Co.          .  .  .  .  .192 

"  Fine  pewter  "......        37 

Fines    ........        56 

Fire-dogs          .  .  .  .  .  .  .127 

Fire-sets  .......       128 

Flagons  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  87,  99 

Flemish  pewter  .  .  .  .  .  .  25,  26 

French  pewterers         ......   11-16 

Furniture-makers         .....  142,  143 

"Garnish"        .  .  .  .  .  .  .  48,  57 

German  pewter  ......  20-22 

Ghent  pewter  .  .  .  .  .  -24,25 

Girandoles        .......       142 

Goblets  ...  -135 

Goldsmiths'  Company  .  .  .        51 

Graves,    Richard         .  .  .  .  113 

Guilds  .  .  12,14,33,38,41,42,49 

"Guinea  Basons"       ......  52-54 


226  INDEX 


PAGES 

Gwynne,   Nell 

162,  163 

Halden,  John 

112 

Hamlin, 

III 

Hancock,  Joseph 

175 

Heriot 

161 

Hewes,  Mrs.  Mary 

105-107 

"  Hollow-ware  Men  " 

38 

Holy     . 

192 

Homans  &  Co. 

113 

Hot-water  Dishes 

69 

Hoyland 

192 

Inferior   pewter 

45 

Inkstands 

84 

Isabeau  of  Bavaria 

8 

Japan 

.    4,5,33,  159 

"Joggled   work" 

21 

Kaiserteller 

26 

Kettles 

129,  130,  145,  147,  148,  165,  166 

Kip,  James 

129 

Kirkby,    William 

112 

Knockers 

125,  126 

Koch,   Melchoir 

51 

Lamps 

.       78,  79,  85,  135,  137-139,  141,  1-42 

Lancaster 

129,  130 

Langdon  ,  John 

126,  127 

Langdon  House 

126,  127 

Lanterns 

143,  144 

Latten 

118 

Lead 

.  6,  14,  31-33,  37,  no 

Leddel,  James 

112 

Ley  metal 

.    6,  60 

London 

14,  36,  39,  40,  43,  46,  50,  52,  62,  79,  122 

Making  of  pewter 

.33 

Manchester 

124 

Manufacture   of  brass 

120,   121 

Marks  on  pewter 

12,  19,  21,  22,  24,  25,  27,  45-53,  67,  89 

Marks  on  Sheffield  plate 

.   186,  188,  192 

INDEX  227 

PAGES 

Mazer  bowls  ......        61 

Measures          .  .  .  .  .  .  .60 

"  Memorials  of  London "  .  .  .  36 

McEwen,  Malcolm      .  .  .  .  .  .112 

Middle  Ages     .......          4 

Montayne,  Abram        ......       129 

Mont  St.   Michel         .  .  .  .  .16 

Monumental  brasses   .....  118-120 

Moulds  for  pewter      .  .  .  .  33,  34,  40 

Nelson,  Lord  .  .  .  .  ...  190,  191 

"  New  England  Rarities "  .  .  .  -77 

"  New   England's   Prospect "  ....       133 

Noggin  .  .  .  •  .  .  .  .66 

Nuremberg       .  .  .  .  .  10,  19,  20 

"  Old  English  Plate  " 64,  65 

"Old  West  Surrey"  .  .  .  .  -73,74 

Oxford  .......       125 

Palimpsests       .  .  .  .  .  .  .119 

"  Paston  Letters "        .  .  .  .  .  -43,44 

Pearsall,  Nathaniel      .  .  .  .  .  .163 

Penton,   G.  .  .  .  .  .  .       144 

Pewterers'  Hall  .  .  .  .  .  .  38,  46 

Pewter  pots      .  .  .  .  .  .  .19 

"  Philocothonista "  .  .  .  .  .58 

Pie-coffins         .......        61 

Pins      .......  121-123 

Pipkins  .......       143 

"  Pirley  Pig "  .  .  .  .  .  .  9* 

Plates  .......        34 

Porringers        .......          9 

Posnets  .  .  .  "    .  .  .67 

Pottle-pot         .......        59 

Price  list          .  .  .  .  .  .  113,  114 

Pricked  work  ......        23 

Purling,  Major  .  .  .  .  .  .51 

Quaich  .  .  .  .  •  •  91 

Queen  Anne     .  .  .  .  .  .  .  58,  74 


228  INDEX 

PAGES 

"Rat-tail"        .......       102 

"  Red  Metal " 124 

Reed  &  Barton  .  .  .  .  .  .113 

Renting  pewter  ......        57 

Re-plating        .......       186 

Revere,  Paul  ......  164,  165 

Richard,  Cceur  de  Lion  .  .  .  .  .  17,  18 

Roberts,    Samuel         .  .  .  .  .  .185 

Roman  use  of  pewter  .....          7 

"  Rose  and  Crown "     .  .  .  22,25,47,48,53,102 

Rosette  .......       150 

Rose-water  dishes        ......       104 

Ruprecht  .  .  .  .  .  .19,21,51 

Russian  brasses  ....        148,  149,  167,  168 

"  Sad  ware  men "  .  .  .  .  .38 

Saltcellars  .  .  .  8,  12,  32,  34-36,  80-84 

Scotch  pewter  .  .  .  .  .22,  87-93 

Sea  coal  .......       141 

Searches  .  .  .  .  .  .41,43,46 

Sewall,   Judith  .....   130,  131,  133 

Shakespeare's  tomb      ......       120 

Shaving-boxes  .  .  .  .  .84 

Sheffield  .  .  .  .  124,  174,  180,  181,  185 

Sheffield  plate  ......  173-195 

Shrimpton,  Henry       .  .  .  .  .  .113 

Siddons,  W.  &  G.  .  .  .  .  .192 

"  Silver  pewter "          .  .  .  .  .  .51 

Silvorum          .  .  .  .  .  .  .51 

Snuffers  .  .  .  .  .  .  .135 

Spoons  ......    100-103,  134 

Standish,  Miles  ......       137 

Stoves  .......       141 

Sugar  bowls      .......       148 

Swiss  pewter  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  26,  27 

Tankards          .  .  .  .  .     8,  34,  58-66,  70,  71 

"Tappit-hen"  ......        90 

Tasters  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  68,  69 

Tazzi  .......        85 

Teapots  .......        85 


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